Editorial Review

A lavishly illustrated personal tour of the great star's homes and collections.

For nearly five decades Barbra Streisand has been one of the singular figures in American entertainment. From the cabaret to the Broadway stage, from television and film stardom to her acclaimed work as a director, from the recording studio to the concert hall, she has demonstrated that the extraordinary voice that launched her career was only one of her remarkable gifts.

Now, in her first book, Barbra Streisand reveals another aspect of her talent: the taste and style that have inspired her beautiful homes and collections. My Passion for Design focuses on the architecture and construction of her newest homes, the dream refuge that she has longed for since the days when she shared a small Brooklyn apartment with her mother, brother, and grandparents. A culmination and reflection of Streisand's love of American architecture and design between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, the book contains many of her own photographs of the rooms she has decorated, the furniture and art she has collected, and the ravishing gardens she has planted on her land on the California coast. In addition to glimpses of her homes, Barbra shares memories of her childhood, the development of her sense of style, and what collecting has come to mean to her. My Passion for Design is a rare and intimate private tour into the world of one of our most beloved stars. It will be welcomed by her many fans and all lovers of the great achievements of American design. ... Read more

Reviews

Great photos & interesting journey, November 17, 2010

From reading the book, I get a clearer picture of the woman behind the unsurpassed talent. It's that thorniness in her character about having things be absolutely right. Perfect. That's the driving force in her success. And she does address this quest for perfection in the book many times, both the positive side and the annoying side. I get the feeling that this incredible eye for detail causes much internal turmoil and is a doubled edge sword of sorts. Through the book, one can appreciate the style, the taste and creative vision... I'm crazy for the millhouse with waterwheel by a stream... the grounds are breathtaking! Organic gardens, chickens with pale green eggs and more roses than the Rose Parade!!
My favorite photo in the book is of her sitting room/office... dead flowers on the coffee table... papers stacked up on the desk... real life. Just like the rest of us.

Delightful book of Design, November 17, 2010
As many long time Streisand fans and followers know, Barbra has collected art pieces,furniture & has had an eye for antiques,design and creativity from the beginning (about 50 years of collecting). I am glad a book of her recent efforts mixed with some treasures from the past have been put together in a nice book as such.I am just about done reading the entire book and I would recomend this for any fan of Barbra or anyone interested in design, antiques and style. A +

Beautiful Book, November 16, 2010
This book came this morning and I've already devoured it. The time, thought, and patience (not to mention money) that went into the building of this compound is staggering. A beautiful book with interesting and insightful text. A great Christmas gift with beautiful photography and great color.

Of course, a must-have for Streisand fans.

Beautifully made catalogue/book - not so much the house itself, December 4, 2010
I looked through this the other week and I must agree with others that it is a beautifully laid out and designed BOOK - good quality paper, easy to read layout, in depth essays on the designs etc. But from a design point of view this house is not anything terribly ground breaking, exciting, interesting, or revolutionary. I found the decor cluttered and the spaces of the house claustrophobic, certain features of the house (wine cellar, 'shops', guest house and so on) boring and gaudy, and the whole thing a rather New Englandy-Funny Girl mess. It seems like what Ms Streisand was going for was a palatial, Cape Cod cottagey barn xanadu compound. She has not succeeded (no one ever will with that combo). If she's happy with her home - then I am happy for her. But this is not a design cornerstone, revelation, or epic. It is however - Original.

Her Passions proceeds to charity, November 17, 2010
Yes, this book is a little pricey, but most of the proceeds are being donated for "Women's Heart Health" She was interviewed yesterday on Oprah and stated that she wants to raise 5 million and will "match" the 5 million. The name of the hospital she is working with directly escapes me but she has made women's heart health her personal mission because so many women die of heart disease. A great book on Barbra's passion for a great cause!

What a beautiful book!, November 22, 2010
I received my book today and am so impressed with it from start to finish! I am so glad that I ignored the negative (hateful & jealous) remarks because this book is definetly for those who are interested in design and home decorating with beauty. It inspires great initiative for you to take what you like and apply it to your own decor (only using a lesser monetary scale of course). As a project, Barbra's book reflects her perfection shown in gorgeous photos and indepth commentaries! I am truly glad that I made this purchase and if you love beautiful designs/decorating, you will too. I love it!

BARBRA'S MAGICAL WORLD....., November 16, 2010
The "SO- CALLED" book review by PJ Samith (one star) sounds more like a personal attack on Streisand more than a book review. How can you review the book if you didn't buy it or read it? Sad really. Since I have bought the book, and read almost half of it today, I think I'll rebut your review and give the book 5 stars. My only complaint is that a
couple pictures have a pixellated look to them. Other than that, Streisand's attention to detail is amazing, and her taste impeccable. Getting a glimpse inside the worlds greatest star's world is worth the price alone. Barbra's writing feels like she is speaking right to the reader, telling you her personal stories and filling you in on all that it took to create this magical place. BRAVO Barbra!

SIDE NOTE: MR. SAMITH....WITH ALL RESPECT, I was there in the stadium at Madison Square Garden the night of the "outburst". People payed good money to hear Streisand, Not it listen to some blow hard Republican shouting stuff from the stands. Mis. Streisand did the right thing telling him to "SHUT THE ____ UP!" She also said she would give him his money back if he wasn't happy. The thunderous applause that night showed that 98% of the audience think she did the right thing. So please don't blame that event for your review. Thank you!

Wonderful ! This book is great, November 16, 2010
I'm so proud of this woman. To come from a poor childhood and become such a great success, she deserves everything life has to offer! yes there are many haters out there, but this comes from jealousy of things that we ourselves wish we had and sadly are without much to offer to society but bitterness, and at those people I simply "chuckle" Bless you Barbra and thanks for such a beautiful book.

The Proceeds of this book go directly to charity!, December 16, 2010
I'm ordering this today. I have seens countless images of it on Oprah and GMA. Why would Barbra Streisand produce a book on design? Well, why not? Should she just stick to singing and acting? The woman has talent and she decided, after discovering the Heart Disease kills more women than all cancers combined, to use this book to raise money ( all proceeds go to her charity) and help rather than be silent. If this raises awareness and helps women in need like your Mothers, daughter etc., I hope she writes another book.

So much talent, PLUS such fabulous design!, November 16, 2010
I was fortunate enough to tour Ms. Streisand's magnificent architectural masterpiece in the Malibu Canyon compound that she created, and then donated to the Nature Conservancy, and I was amazed and inspired, and never forgot it. So when I heard about the book she has written on design, I bought it immediately. What a delight to turn the pages and be transported into a dream world that ordinarily only Hollywood and smoke and mirrors could create. But Barbra did it! She made it real! What a heaven on earth she has created for her and her family and friends. How fortunate they are to live there and experience it, and how lucky we are to be able to savor it vicariously in the delicious pages of her book. Bravo Barbra for the book, and the home! ... Read more

Editorial Review

From one of the most beloved authors of our  time—more than six million copies of his books have been sold in this country alone—a fascinating excursion into the history behind the place we call home.

“Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”
 
Bill Bryson and his family live in a Victorian parsonage in a part of England where nothing of any great significance has happened since the Romans decamped. Yet one day, he began to consider how very little he knew about the ordinary things of life as he found it in that comfortable home. To remedy this, he formed the idea of journeying about his house from room to room to “write a history of the world without leaving home.” The bathroom provides the occasion for a history of hygiene; the bedroom, sex, death, and sleep; the kitchen, nutrition and the spice trade; and so on, as Bryson shows how each has fig­ured in the evolution of private life. Whatever happens in the world, he demonstrates, ends up in our house, in the paint and the pipes and the pillows and every item of furniture.

Bill Bryson has one of the liveliest, most inquisitive minds on the planet, and he is a master at turning the seemingly isolated or mundane fact into an occasion for the most diverting exposi­tion imaginable. His wit and sheer prose fluency make At Home one of the most entertaining books ever written about private life.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Going Round the House(s), June 2, 2010
Is there anything Bill Bryson isn't interested in? He moves from one subject to the next with equal amounts of genuine enthusiasm. And we're not talking about just the really remarkable stuff - a lot of what gets Bryson going seems quite mundane. Mousetraps, for instance. Once he has you hooked, you too realize that even mousetraps are pretty fascinating after all.

There's no point looking for a theme to At Home, even though it's nominally a social history of the home, specifically Bryson's home, a former rectory in Norfolk, built in 1851. Going from room to room is just an excuse for Bryson to expound on whatever he finds interesting. It might be best to take the book as a series of loosely connected magazine articles or short essays. You can skip around without losing the thread, because there isn't one.

Most of the history is Victorian, but there are side trips to the prehistoric Britain, 19th century America, and the recent past. This is not an academic book, so there are no footnotes, which is a shame. Although Bryson usually credits sources within the text, now and then he makes an outrageous statement without attribution. One that had me scrambling for some supporting evidence was a claim that Elizabeth I admired, then scooped some silverware into her purse at dinner in a nobleman's house while on her annual royal progress. Even more remarkable was a statement that one third of all women in London aged 15-25 in 1851 were prostitutes. Really?! After browsing through the lengthy and excellent bibliography, I found the instruction to go to Bryson's website for notes and sources, but found only that they are "coming soon."

Chances are you won't be interested in everything that takes Bryson's fancy, but no worry. If you find your attention waning during a discussion of furniture varnishes, it isn't long before he's off to vitamins or Thomas Jefferson's wine collection or �tzi the Ice Man.

I'll admit that I might have skipped this book if Bryson's name wasn't on the cover, and wondered if it could have been published at all without his name and popularity. His early works are still my favorites, more or less in the order they were written. The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America still makes me laugh, so does Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe, and Notes from a Small Island, and I'm a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away (Notes from a Big Country). I expect I'll continue to read just about anything Bryson writes, but I have to agree with some other reviewers who look forward to his travel writing more than his excursions into weightier topics.

missing Bryson's usual wit, and not quite what it claims, September 20, 2010

History as it should be taught, July 25, 2010
This book changed my world. Well, at least my perception of my world.

At Home is a fascinating account of how we got where we are today, domestically speaking. I read it whist living in a non-western, non-English speaking country and it illuminated for me the historical reasons behind some of the assumptions I make which are at odds with the society I'm currently living in, like why I think my dining room should be bigger than the one in my rented house is. Sure, knowing dates of major battles is important, but this book is history as it was meant to be: relevant, enlightening, and funny.

Outstanding, enjoyable, fantastic history of home, comfort, and human innovation. Buy this., September 16, 2010

The topic almost doesn't matter., August 6, 2010
This book is very much in the fashion of his Short History of Nearly Everything. It contains almost no first person narrative and mostly tries to adhere topic. The topic is so broad, however, that almost anything can be in some way connected to it and at times it feels a bit sprawling. That the stories bear some passing connection to the topic is hardly surprising. It would be hard not to. But, I didn't read this book as a scholarly work. I wouldn't want to read that book. Bill Bryson's talent for selecting the funniest, remarkable, shocking, gruesome and just plain interesting things about any topic, means that if he wrote a book about the history of fingernails, or hammers or shoelaces, I would read it.

My one serious gripe with the book is the lack of illustrations. There are some pictures, but countless other times, when he's describing some invention, or article of clothing, or building, and going on about how remarkable it is, I found myself running to wikipedia to see what he was talking about.

Basically, if you like Bill Bryson, you will like this book. If you've never read any Bill Bryson before I would recommend starting with a different book. A Walk in the Woods is a good one.A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Disappointing, October 28, 2010

Meandering, September 22, 2010
Bill Bryson provides an entertaining and eclectic look at his house and ours in his new book, At Home: A Short History of Private Life. I take some exception to this being "short," since at 500 pages, it seemed long, but for a history, or for all that Bryson could have included, I guess for him, short it is. Since his own house was built in the mid-nineteenth century, there's an extra focus on Victorian times, and since the first owner was a rector, his life and time are well-covered. I came away from this book with reams of useless information that I'm certain to inject with confidence in some future conversation. Any reader who likes a meandering story filled with wit will find lots of interesting anecdotes and factoids on these pages.

Rating: Three-star (Recommended)

Wonderfully eccentric, September 4, 2010

Mr. Bryson, please get out of your house and start travelling again, November 20, 2010
Good grief. 'Slugging through...' was the word used by both me and my friend as we described this laborious diatribe from good ol' Bill. This thing is (as always) well researched, but somewhat like reading an encyclopedia Britannica article - without the humor of said Britannica humor.

This thing was awful. It's not strung together well and the 'rooms' have little, if anything, to do with the topics. He's resting on his laurels and it's time to give him a gentle shove.

While I've loved 'A Brief History' and everything else I've ever read from him, it's time for Mr. Bryson to get back to what he does best: venture forth and tell us about the world. I wonder what he would think about the Antarctic...

The only reason I finished this was because Bill Bryson wrote it. Otherwise I would have left it at the 25% mark without a single regret.

Historical Nonfiction - Wonderful for History Buffs, November 18, 2010

Editorial Review

"New Uses For Old Things" is one of Real Simple's most popular franchises. It showcases how to repurpose everyday items in clever ways.These ideas appeal to readers because they're a) economical, b) green, and c) surprising.

Over the past decade, Real Simple has developed 800-plus ideas for all sorts of common items, from accordion files to zippered plastic bags. It seems fitting that in honor of theirten-year anniversary, they'd give readers the opportunity to enjoy these ideas in one convenient place.
... Read more

Reviews

Save your money, October 26, 2010
The book is beautiful and has some helpful hints. From the advertisement hype and cover I thought perhaps it would share new and innovative ways to repurpose items. No. While there were a few things I had not heard or read before, most of the information has previously been published in much cheaper books. The book does make a couple of suggestions for utilizing the book itself to assist with problems. At least I didn't waste all my money.

Terrific, November 22, 2010
I couldn't put the book down and read half of it on the first reading. Of course, I can't use all of the tips, but there is plenty to benefit from and the photos are lovely. It's a keeper.

Great Book, November 4, 2010
This has so many useful ideas for things I never would have thought of. It is so much fun to look at.

Real Simple Book, December 9, 2010
The book is very interesting and gives ideas of how to use every day things around the house. I'm pleased with my purchase.

Giving as a Christmas gift ., December 7, 2010
I'm giving this as a Christmas gift to my daughter. I have a subscription to the magazine REAL SIMPLE and love it.

just one tip hooked me, October 22, 2010
Was watching Jeopardy on tv and tips from this book was one of the categories. It suggested using the sticky side of a post-it note to run between the keys of your computer keyboard to clean it. Tried it as I watched the show and it works like a charm;SOLD! Went online to Amazon immediately to order this book. Only gave it 4 stars because I don't actually have the book. Will give another review when I receive the book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Put your backyard to work! Enjoy fresher, organic, better-tasting food all the time. The solution is as close as your own backyard. Grow the vegetables and fruits your family loves; keep bees; raise chickens, goats, or even a cow. The Backyard Homestead shows you how it's done. And when the harvest is in, you'll learn how to cook, preserve, cure, brew, or pickle the fruits of your labor.

From a quarter of an acre, you can harvest 1,400 eggs, 50 pounds of wheat, 60 pounds of fruit, 2,000 pounds of vegetables, 280 pounds of pork, 75 pounds of nuts. ... Read more

Reviews

A great book with just one glaring ommision, October 12, 2009
A very well put together book with lots of useful information. However there is one area that it is glaringly lacking in information. The author states there isn't room for a dairy animal and suggests pigs instead, but they completely overlook the Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. Two Nigerian Dwarf dairy does take up less space than the pigs, and even some urban areas area starting to allow them as "pets". A good Nigerian milk doe can give 1/2-3/4 of a gallon of very rich milk daily. Just be sure to buy from someone that breeds them for milking and not someone that just breeds them as pets.

Nigerians also get along well with chickens, and can share the same yard space as long as there is separate sleeping and feeding quarters for the chickens. And keeping 3-4 hens with your goats will keep the fly population down to nearly non-existent levels. So the back portion of your lot could be a single large pen, rather than two small ones, thus saving on the amount of fencing needed. A typical garden shed can be divided up to provide housing and feed storage for both goats and chickens, again saving on the cost (and space) of building separate structures.

Fresh eggs! Fresh bread! Fresh basil!, March 23, 2009
What else could you want? Do you need? Well, after reading Madigan's book, apparently I want to have and do alot more with my life and garden in the city. I've already been trying to turn my 1/16th (?) of an acre city garden over to chickens, veggies, and fruit, but, yikes!, this book has been an absolute dream find for me. It has made me realize that I've barely cracked the surface as far as creating a life that is in happy harmony with the plant and animal world, not to mention how my family's eating experience will become more fun, more fresh, and more delicious! I can't wait to start making my own mozzarella and planting those nut trees! That will be the easy part...getting my husband to agree to those four gorgeous blue Andulusian chickens I've been coveting might be slightly harder.

Even if you don't have a backyard!, March 10, 2009
This book was recently introduced to me by a friend who was tired of hearing me just *talk* about my preserving and canning aspirations - she thought, rightly, that having this book as my guide would spur action. What always sounded like a lovely annual ritual to me is now actually - I have been happy to discover, after reading "The Backyard Homestead" and its clearly, engagingly written advice - something I can and do do. But I have discovered so much more that is possible within - as it turns out, having only a balcony, and no actual backyard, is not a deterrent when looking to live more self-sufficiently, and Madigan addresses viable options for all kinds of living circumstances. There really is something for everyone within, and inspiration is inevitable.

Out-dated and innacurate, May 19, 2010
Like most of the people who buy this book, I'm interested in urban farming and the DIY ethos. So I found this book really exciting for the breadth of topics it covered. How to select a breed of beef cow? Goat? Chicken? Cool! But as I read through some of the sections covering topics I know about I was surprised how out-dated and incomplete they were, which makes me suspicious that the rest of this book is equally poorly researched.

I've been a homebrewer for 5 years, and I grow wine grapes at home. The home-brew beer recipies in this book are from 1989, and are based around buying pre-made beer kits from Coopers or Muntons. Some of the ingredients listed are archane: "Laaglander malt extract" good luck finding it, Laaglander went out of business nearly a decade ago, or "Russian Malt beverage concentrate" whatever that is, you don't need it to make good homebrew.

The wine grapes section is terribly out of date as well. The American hybrid grapes she recommends were the best varieties availible 20 years go (DeChanuc, Baco, Foch) leaving out newer varieties that are much better (Traminette, Marquette, Corot Noir). She refers to Baco, Foch, and Chardonel as European varieties which they aren't. (there's a great book on growing a back-yard vineyard if you search for that phrase)

It may seem like I'm nit-picking, but it leaves me to wonder what careless mistakes are in the sections I don't know anything about? How out-of date are the other varietal recommendations? I get the impression that she culled all of this info from old books and has little experience of her own.

I'm returning my copy.

It's OK, September 14, 2009
This book has some wonderful planning diagrams and some really good info. Having said that, and having read many books on the subject at the library, most of it is not original information and has been gleaned from other Storey books. And it's very obvious! However, it's a good place to start for a beginner.

I don't like it because it doesn't go into enough depth (fencing, pest/critter deterrents, buildings) on certain topics and spends WAY too much time on things that don't really need explanation (flavors of ice cream, flowers, certain charts). I don't really care for some of the gardening advice either, but that's more of a personal preference. I prefer Ruth Stout's How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back: A New Method of Mulch Gardening approach.

In general, I prefer The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It for an well explained, well thought out, season by season, no-nonsense treatment of the homesteading subject.

A Great All-In-One Reference, March 9, 2009
I love "The Backyard Homestead"! It is a user-friendly guide that not only shares the "how to" aspects of food self-sufficiency, but includes lots of wonderful recipes as well. Ms. Madigan's caring and respect for the environment shines throughout each chapter of this delightful book.

Not worth purchasing., April 6, 2010
I checked this out of the library before buying, and I'm so glad I did.

The premise of this book is exciting. I love the cover illustration, and first few pages have great illustrations of how much you can produce on different sized lots. However, the rest of the book is a simply a rehashed encyclopedia of information that is incredibly frustrating to read. There is no "story" here -- no personal anecdotes, no interviews with people who have done this, no journalistic writing. Since that's not the chosen direction of this book, I can accept that. But without an interesting story, I was hoping for really solid, detailed, concrete information about how to eventually accomplish the goal of turning one's yard into a homestead. I didn't get that either.

The information in this book is almost trivial -- there is a lot of it, and it's well organized, but nothing goes into enough detail to actually be useful. For example, the section on raising chickens provides a vague overview of what is required to keep chickens, then several pages on chicken breeds, but not quite enough information to actually *choose* a breed, then goes into a bunch of detail about how to determine the age of an egg, how to cook an egg, but no information on how to actually care for chickens. There is a section on butchering, which basically tells you to find someone who knows how to butcher a chicken. There is a rough diagram of a fancy chicken coop for 3 chickens, but no discussion of the pros and cons of different kinds of coops, or how to house more than 3 chickens.

Eventually, I realized I can get more information on any subject in this book by doing a Google search. The information in this book feels very rehashed, and I don't get the sense that the author has any personal experience with any of it (even though she might).

What this book is good for: Spend half an hour skimming through it for inspiration. Don't get bogged down on the unhelpful details. Write down any subjects that interest you, and go get a specialized book on that topic.

An Excellent Introduction, November 1, 2009
I'm already planning my 2010 garden, with the aim of getting back into gardening after a four year hiatus. Many of my neighbors are planting their first gardens and still others are incorporating small animals like chickens and goats into their yards. And no, I don't live in the country. I live in the suburbs.

So when I saw The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan, I was excited. The premise of this book is that with a quarter of an acre - or less - you can provide your family with lots of great food.

You may wonder if growing your own food is worth the effort. Here's how I look at it: I recall with great fondness working in the vegetable garden with my father. I want my children to experience the same thrill of pulling fresh foods from the ground and eating them with the pride that they helped grow them. Besides, homegrown foods are fresher and therefore more nutritious. And you know exactly what chemicals were used on them, and whether the seed is heirloom or genetically modified. Not so with store-bought foods, even if they are marked organic. Although my family hasn't ventured into raising farm animals, we've considered it. I hate the idea of feeding my family meats pumped full of hormones, or even just salt water. And no store bought egg can ever compare to the taste of fresh eggs, just as store-bought tomatoes don't taste remotely like store-bought.

You'll probably be surprised by how much food you can produce in your suburbia yard. Madigan says with a quarter acre you can produce 1,400 eggs, 50 pounds of wheat, 60 pounds of fruit, 2,000 pounds of vegetables, 280 pounds of pork, and 75 pounds of nuts. (The film HomeGrown says that if you just stick to produce, you'll get 6,000 pounds.) The average lot in the suburbs isn't that big, but you can still produce a lot of food - and at significant savings. (According to the National Gardening Association, the average family with a veggie garden saves $600 a year.)

You might wonder how any one book can thoroughly cover the topics of raising your own vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, grains, herbs, and a variety of farm animals. Well, it can't. But The Backyard Homestead does a great job of providing a basic overview of what's possible.

The section on gardening is the most thorough, and probably the only guide you really need to growing veggies, fruits, and berries. There's information on growing from seed, preparing a bed, growing in containers, choosing crops most appropriate for your space, succession planting (where, when one plant stops producing, you plant another crop), getting a general idea of how much your garden can produce, harvesting (with general info on freezing and canning), basic information on storing seeds for next year's garden, general growing info on popular vegetables, growing berries, growing nut and fruit trees (hint: they don't have to take up a lot of space), and growing and using herbs. There's a short chapter on incorporating edibles into your decorative landscape, too, and a number of recipes for using your home grown produce, including homemade wine, herbal teas, cider, and vinegars.

You may have never considered growing grains, but if you've ever grown corn, you've already dabbled in it. The author provides good basic info on growing corn for grain, as well as wheat, barley, and rye. She wisely advises new grain-growers to start small, and offers general info on how to grow and harvest, as well as use the grains you've grown. This section includes info on making homemade bread from your grains, as well as how to make your own beer.

The section of the book most lacking is the one on livestock. Here, basic information is offered on raising chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, goats, sheep, pigs, and even cows. The author gives some thoughts on why you'd want to raise these animals, how to increase egg or milk production, very general info on butchering, very basic (and sometimes vague) information on how to care for the animals, and similar topics. Oddly, she doesn't really discuss how to incorporate farm animals into a backyard. For example, I'd like to know if there are special concerns if you have children; are there ways to help prevent them from getting E. coli, for example? It also seems strange the author never mentions how to compost or use animal manure to feed your garden, although she does give information on pasteurizing milk and making cheese and yogurt.

The final sections offer super-brief information on harvesting wild plants; essentially, the author advises readers to find a field guide for their area. However, she does offer some information on using rose hips (from the wild or from your ornamental garden), dandelions (ditto!), as well as syrup from maple trees, plus some basics on beekeeping.

Overall, I think this is an excellent guide for the suburbanite or someone who lives in the country but has little or no experience growing their own food. It gave me many ideas I hope to implement next year, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in getting back to the basics by growing some food.

Kristina Seleshanko
Proverbs Thirty One Woman

Same Info As Storey's Basic Country Skills, June 7, 2009
I purchased this book but returned it because I already had "Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance" and it contains almost all of the same information. For the little bit of new information contained in this book, I didn't think it was worth purchasing this book in addition. I didn't realize this book would be so similar. If you don't have or never read "Storey's Basic Country Skills...," this book will be a great find for you. It's a smaller, easier to handle book than "Storey's Basic Country Skills..," but it has much less content, for those deciding between the two. However, the information it contains is valuable for backyard homesteaders.

Very helpful for a beginner, April 26, 2009
While I have not done anything with the animal sections, I have found this book very useful for starting our first garden. For example: its advise on planting beans from seeds contradicted the seed packet. Those I planted according to the "book" (as opposed to the packet) were the ones to produce. The book is clear, easy to follow, and intructive. It tells why, not just how. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Over 100,000 sold! Now newly revised and up to date, with over 2,000 color photographs and illustrations.Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills—the kind employed by our forefathers—and adapt them for a better life in the twenty-first century need look no further than this eminently useful, full-color guide. Countless readers have turned to Back to Basics for inspiration and instruction, escaping to an era before power saws and fast food restaurants and rediscovering the pleasures and challenges of a healthier, greener, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead. More than just practical advice, this is also a book for dreamers—even if you live in a city apartment you will find your imagination sparked, and there's no reason why you can't, for example, make a loom and weave a rag rug. Complete with tips for old-fashioned fun (square dancing calls, homemade toys, and kayaking tips), this may be the most thorough book on voluntary simplicity available. 2,000 color photos and 200 black-and-white illustrations ... Read more

Reviews

A traditional skills primer.
A primer on self-reliance and rural skills, this is a large-format book of 456 pages lavishly illustrated with photographs and drawings, about half in full color. Here are 57 subjects, many with subsets, as in gardening, which includes information on soil, cultivation methods, making and using a greenhouse, and specific information on many veggies, herbs, fruits. Some presentations are simplistic, like telling you how to find and evaluate a farm or can produce in only four pages. Building and using a smokehouse gets one page. Using dairy products butters ten pages. Woodworking and furniture making nail down thirty pages. Build and decorate a house and the chairs, tables, beds to furnish it. Build a springhouse, a dam, a well, a water system. Grow vegetables, fruits, grains. Raise bees, fish, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, hogs, sheep, goats, cows, horses. Make cheese, maple syrup, beer, wine, bread, soap, candles, baskets. Cook with wood. Spin yarn, use natural dyes, make cloth, quilts, rugs, hammocks. Learn tanning and leather work, tinsmithing, blacksmithing, toolmaking. Celebrate harvest and holidays with traditional decorations, recipes, toys, games, dances. Learn camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing, snowshoeing, skiing. Whew! This book will keep you happily occupied for several decades.

back to basics
i was given this book over 15 years ago. it has become my "bible" for basic skills. we refer to this book at least once a week for advice and instruction - and always manage to find what we're looking for! it does more than touch on subjects! you get in-depth instructions with pictures to guide you through such things as building a foundation and canning your own garden goods. my copy is well-worn from much use! i treasure this book and all the things i've learned from it. for those out there who wish to live more self-sufficiently, you must have this book.

The Best of Basics...
This was a really interesting book and I got a whole more than I expected. This book covers all kinds of traditional skills from chopping wood, building houses, plowing fields, food preparation, and so on. Just about anything you can imagine on everyday life skills from days long gone.

The bonus part to this was that it included a lot of modern day adaptations and applications for these skills. It could be a useful how-to manual for those that want to live a more simple life. It also includes a description of alternate eco-friendly fuel sources

A Wealth of Practical Information

My grandparents owned the first edition of this book years ago and I read it almost every time I was over at their house. When I saw it was updated, I bought my own copy. This is a how-to tome par excellence! In these pages you can learn to go far toward practical self sufficiency. Just about anything and everything you could ever seek to know regarding hands-on survival skills is explained inside this book. It's useful information for everyday life and a potential lifesaver in times of crisis. In here you can learn how to start fires under any weather conditions, make your own shoes from scratch, build furniture, houses, boats, find out how to raise animals, grow gardens and survive diasters. I feel more confident in my ability to get by in almost any situation than I did before I re-discovered this pragmatic classic. Knowledge, as they say, is power.

Great book
Not a step-by step guide, but usually has enough info on a particular subject to get you started. Some topic are covered in detail, like making braided rugs, while others understandably are only given a cursory review, such as building construction.

Tons of topics, with enough info to get you headed in the right direction for most, but you'll obviously want to get more detailed info on any of the more complex tasks they descibe. ... Read more

Editorial Review

It's back -- with more tape and more projects: 18 projects using the do-it-yourselfer's not-so-secret weapon.

NASA has a written policy that requires every space shuttle mission to carry at least one roll of "the gray tape." Duct tape now comes in designer colors, and for the color-shy there's a transparent version. The once-humble tape has hit the big time, and now there are duct-tape clubs, competitions and websites. In the words of Red Green, head possum on the PBS-syndicated The Red Green Show, "Spare the duct tape, spoil the job."

In this instructive, entertaining and downright funny how-to book, Joe Wilson shows how to rip, cut and fold ordinary duct tape to make 18 amazing projects, including:

- Wallet
- Barbecue apron
- Lunchbox
- Tool belt
- Cell phone holder
- Baseball cap
- TV chair caddy
- Raingear for pets
- Toilet roll cover
- Halloween masks.

Ductigami is more fun than a crossword puzzle, more useful than a welder's certificate, and more durable than a rechargeable battery. With duct tape it's easy to create a remarkable personal gift for any occasion. ... Read more

Reviews

No One mentioned the Adult Themes, December 17, 2005
After reading all the reviews posted here, I eagerly ordered the book for my nine year old for Christmas. Now it's come and boy am I glad I looked through it before wrapping it up and handing it to my son! Nearly every page displays a suggestive picture and/or a misogynistic, bathroom, or gallows piece of humor. At first I though I could just tear a few pages out, but they're everywhere. It's really a shame, becuase the book has good instructions, the projects are boy-oriented, and what humor there is that is not off-color is quite funny. My son has a sophisticated sense of humor and would have enjoyed the small number of non-sleazy jokes in this book. Too bad! There should have been some online indication that the book is for adult comsumption so moms like me don't go wasting their money. And it saddens me to learn that this man thinks he cannot get other men to laugh without mentioning viagra, putting in lots of girly-tease pix, and making jokes about ladies killing their husbands and ethnic food. Am I in high school again? I feel degraded just opening the thing. Scout leaders beware: this one is not for the troop.

Buy the older edition, October 2, 2007
The older edition (not available, looks like, though abebooks may have it) is the way to go. Exactly the same projects, without the un-funny "man show" misogyny and toilet humor. I would give that edition 5 stars, if Amazon had it. I bought this one because I needed my own copy, but I think I'm going after the old one. This one really is a turn-off - makes me not want to have anything to do with it, to be honest. I'm glad my library had the old edition and I read that one first.

The Glories of Ductigami, March 17, 2000
Ductigami is the best book about duct tape if not the best book ever written. I have made most the objects in the book. Each one worked very well. I feel like everybody should have a wallet made from duct tape. It will float when put in water too. After making some of the items the book shows you how to make I felt like making my own duct tape items. Also I have made some improvment to some of the things. So this is a great book and should be owned by everyone.

Great Book for anyone Who Wants To Do Duct Tape Art!, December 28, 2006
I got this book for my 12 year old son along with a roll of duct tape. He really loves this book! He doesn't follow all of the directions to the letter, rather he uses the book to just get ideas for his own creations. He's made a lot of fun things. As for "adult themes" in this book, well I looked it over and couldn't find anything lewd or inappropriate. If you look for 'adult themes', you can find them anywhere, and TV is **much** worse than books for that. So, that said, this book will show you how to make wallets, bottle holders, purse, head wear, and more. Have fun with it! Enjoy!

Duct tape stuff! Incredible!, April 25, 1999
I'm ordering this book today because the author (Joe Wilson) is on KFI AM640 in Los Angeles with Debra Rich and is sharing the many uses of Duct Tape. Some amazing things he can do with this is make a duct tape wallet, cell phone holder, la-z-boy drink holder, etc... So, I consider it a must have. Joe has a great sense of humor and fortunately doesn't take this too seriously. I plan to make some of this stuff and give it out as gag gifts for Christmas this year.

If it quacks like Duct ....., July 26, 2008
I have the earlier edition, the one with the green cover. The projects, well illustrated and described step by step, are amusing and, believe it or not, useful. Who couldn't use a duct-tape wallet? Who wouldn't look amazingly techno-cool with a silver tape cell-phone holder on his belt? The flak-proof BBQ apron is a must-have item for the outdoor chef (obviously not intended to repel grenade shards, but will certainly deflect flak from critics.) If any of these fine self-crafted products begins to wear thin, well, you just repair with a patch of -- what else?-- more duct tape!

The writing is plenty humorous -- good for snorts, chuckles, wry smiles, and the occasional raised eyebrow. You might find the retro photos enjoyably spicy if you're the kind of guy that finds the Beeve's mom alluring. Duct tape is a "guy thing" and this is a guy book, but in this edition the photos are not any more suggestive than a WW2 pin-up.

The later edition is a bit bawdy and the sexual humor has been notched up another level, so consider your potential audience and be judicious in your selection. The earlier version is probably OK for your high-schoolers, but preview the later one before you hand it over to the younger guys.

Totally Improper!! Total Shame & wast of time/$, December 24, 2009
I purchased this book as a slightly serious gag gift for our Pastor who loves Duct Tape & WD-40 & believes that it can fix anything :o) I thought it would be great to put into his Christmas bag, boy was I WRONG!!! I couldn't believe the pictures in this. So glad I looked through this before I wrapped it up, never thought I'd find what I found in it. Yeah I get it art is art but you don't have to put Naked & 1/2 naked people/statues & in the pictures holding or modeling something with Duct Tape I mean come on. It's porn with Duct Tape people!! It just totally ruined the book & my whole plan cause I know it would've made a great gift. It wasn't just 1 page either I counted at least 5 pages or more that needed to go & you can't rip them out because on the opposite side is the final directions for the prior projects. Some of the art work was cute, like the dogs w/ the Duct Tape rain coats but the other pictures ruined it so I'm returning this.

Even the most banal beer drinker can unleash creativity!, April 8, 2006
What a wonderful, wonderful and inspired book this is. Ok, so the things are a lot harder to make than it really seems at first - however the sheer joy of working with duct tape makes it all worthwhile

As someone who has spent many an hour patching up canoes, bikes, cars, shoes and various other bits and peices with silver duct tape, it is nice to see some very practical useful things to be made out of duct tape - including a nice sports wallet - a fashionable apron, and even an exciting drinks holder

Unleash the creativity in yourself and your partner. Spend many a fine hour folding silver tape into interesting shapes.

Good Book, January 9, 2007
I purchased this book for my father - the Mr. Fixit who has everything. He loved it. The directions and illustrations are fairly easy to follow and there are some cool things to make. Here's a tip: give a roll of duct tape with the book!

Parents Beware!, November 30, 2010
Parents beware! This book is filled with inappropriate pictures and themes for kids.

My wife & I were so excited about using this book at my son's 11th Birthday party. However, after opening it up and scanning the pages we were shocked by the suggestive pictures and inappropriate "jokes." They were so out of place.

I have worked with teenagers professionally for 20 years and I wouldn't even buy this book for them.

We were definitely disappointed!! bw ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

This is a one-book country library., June 29, 1999
Carla Emery was a national treasure and this book ensures her legacy. This is simply the most informative book ever written on country living, the next best thing to having a live-in grandmother who knows everything there is to getting homegrown food from dreams to dinner plates plus nearly anything else you need to know. Begun as a 12-page table of contents for a recipe book in 1969, the present ninth edition has 858 pages of far more than recipes. Veggies, vines, trees, grains, poultry, goats, cows, bees, rabbits, sheep, pigs. Planning, nurturing, harvesting, preserving, preparing. Flipping pages at random finds starting transplants, breads leavened with eggs and beating, speeding up tomato sauce-making, harvesting herbs, making cider, managing an existing stand of trees, root cellar storage, soap making, brooding chicks, secrets to safe cattle handling, cultured buttermilk, cooking on a wood stove, jams and jellies, making a wool quilt. I use my "Carla book" constantly. If your budget or bookshelf has room for only one book, this is the book to buy. Yes, even before you buy mine.

The most complete and thorough book ever!, August 11, 1998
When I purchased an 8-acre ranch in 1985 I had a six-month old baby one on the way and had never been off of concrete in my life. Now I had 8-acres, goats, chickens, rabbits, ducks, geese, pigs, 60 fruit and nut trees and an acre garden. I had no clue how or what to do! I learned everything from reading that book. How to harvest, can and cook up your garden & orchard harvest, feed and butcher animals, all kinds of doctoring for kids and animals, crafts, and even how to cut hair. That book is so dog-eared with tape from all of my years of use. I owe my sanity to that book. It has every scenario imaginable. I recommend it to anyone living in the country or on a farm or thinking of it. What I learned from Carla Emery's book will stay with me forever! The knowledge is priceless.

A Dissenting Opinion, June 27, 2003
This book appears to have a devoted following so I'm sure I'll arouse some ill will with this, but here goes.

There are several things potential readers need to know about this book. The first is that, as the other reviewers suggest, the author comes across as very friendly and sincere. Another is that it has been around in some form or another for a long time, long before many "hobby farm"-type books were available, and for that reason has many devoted fans, at least some of whom appear to be unaware of more modern reference books that have superceded this one in many respects. The next is that if you have a lot of free time, and you like nine hundred page books whose author is in no rush to get to any of its thousands of points, you'll love it.

The most important, though, is that if you would like the best, easiest to understand advice available on raising sheep, keeping chickens, growing a garden, and all the other fun but challenging aspects of hobby farming, you will be far better served by other books out there. I have a hobby farm on seven acres with fruit trees, vegetable garden, livestock, etc., and own many of the hobby farm books available. We have had the opportunity to consult them as we have learned from direct experience, and have found that there is a wide variety in usefulness.

While The Encyclopedia of Country Living contains good advice, this book has features that I believe the average modern, would-be hobby farmers will be put off by. One is its overwhelming, unnecessary, and frustrating length. It wouldn't be so bad if each paragraph was a sparkling, concise gem of practical wisdom, i.e, if it really were written like an actual encyclopedia, but core information is often clouded with anecdotes, nostalgia, sermonizing, etc. If you are the kind of person who likes reading books about country life, but who doesn't actually live in the country and doesn't plan to, this may be something you enjoy, but it made this book difficult to use for me.

Moreover, the author regularly feels obliged to list the many and disparate views on a particular topic held by her friends, or by people who have written her letters over the years. A number of these printed comments are either pointless or really daft, and are liable to confuse more than enlighten the would-be hobby farmer, especially since the author often does not make clear which ideas have most merit, scientifically or from her own personal experience.

I believe the average person who plans on "country living" or hobby farming will find other books far more useful. The updated and revised "Backyard Livestock", by Steven Thomas, is absolutely brilliant for beginning hobby farmers serious about keeping animals for food, eggs, milk, etc. It is concise while still telling you everything you need to know. For those wishing more detailed information on livestock, the various Storey's guides to raising farm animals are also excellent. If you are interested in fruit or berry cultivation, you will find the Stella Otto books far more valuable than this one. For vegetable gardening, "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Edward C. Smith is the best. I could go on, but my personal experience is this: if you would like to hobby farm, be successful at it, and have fun doing it, you'll need the best information you can get. For most of us, this means a few A-list, reliable, practical, concise, understandable reference books. Despite its length and sometimes charming autobiographical features, there's no reason why you should buy "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" when so many other books on country living now are superior to it.

Please understand the purpose of this book., November 28, 2004
I have the first, home-printed edition of this book, as well as the latest edition.When I read the various comments, I see some misunderstanding of the nature of this book.Carla's book is not just a reference (there are better ones in specific areas)but an autobiography as well. We learn about a lifestyle many of us will never know, but find facinating. We learn of the struggles and successes of one family. And along the way, we learn a great deal about small subsistance farms (not hobby farms). Use Carla's book for reference, but also entertainment and education. It's a fun read, and need not be done in one sitting or in any order. Just enjoy!

ignore the negative criticism, April 13, 2005
This is a charming and useful book. I am a newcomer to Carla Emery's work and indeed have read many of the other more concise, straightforward and professional books out there about farming and country living. Not only is there a TON of useful information in this book, people who enjoy the meandering, prolific style are not at fault for liking the book. Carla Emery, who has been living this way and writing long before other resources appeared, is still a respected source of wisdom. There are tidbits and tips that you might never see in a "professional" book, and the "Oddments" section alone was worth buying this book. The list of resources from native skills to homesteading to renewable energy sources to emergency preparedness is amazing. If you want to live closer to the land and be radically more self-sufficient doing so, you probably will not find more information on a wide range of topics in one place. In Carla's book, you get detailed information PLUS recommendations about other sources of information, classes, organizations, magazines, and more. I didn't know so much was out there!

Together with a stock of standard, concise, and more professional books on raising livestock, organic gardening, energy, or whatever else you choose to incorporate into your lifestyle, this book is invaluable and passionate -- because passionate is what we SHOULD be about the agrarian movement.

[To add to this review...] The scope and detail of this book is amazing. It has TONS of recipes, stories, and ideas for back-to-basics traditional living that come from years and years of collected wisdom and experience that you probably couldn't get anywhere else. What if you lived in a rural area for, say, a month, and couldn't go to a grocery store and wanted to know how to survive? It is truly an encyclopedia of folk knowledge and so much more. Want to know how to use garlic and onion for medicinal purposes? Want to learn about different types of diets? Want to use up scraps and throw away very little, or eat more vegetables, or be entertained by tidbits and tales from the country? Here is a compendium of information, in all its glory.

One of the best, September 2, 2003
"The Encyclopedia of Country Living" is an expansive volume of collected wisdom, techniques, recipes, and other information for living in the country. To a great extent it is a volume on self-sufficiency without harming the environment in any substantial way. The only assumption that seems to be made is that the land you purchase will have a house on it or you will have one built. Everything else, from buying the land, to what plants to plant, when to plant them, where to get them, how to grow them, and how to harvest them to what animals to raise, how to raise them, how to use them for food and dairy to how to deal with child birthing in the wilderness (where you may be alone when it happens), dealing with pollution, enriching your soil, and even worm farming. This is an exhaustive study in country living with very detailed and thorough sections on farming. In addition the author includes page after page of other sources of information, where to purchase things, catalogue sources, websites, and just about every other conceivable way to get the items mentioned in the text. If there was a way to take all the old-timers in the country, get them all together, draw out all the skills they have learned over the years and distill it into a book this is the book that you would create. "The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 9th Edition" is a very highly recommended read not only for those looking to move to the country after a lifetime in the city, but also for those who, like me, have that backyard garden and could use the extensive information presented here to make it even more successful and fun.

How this book began..., October 16, 2005
What the previous reviewer seems not to realize, is that this book began more like a subscription recipe newsletter than a book. My grandmother subscribed to it in the 70s and she got it a few pages at a time, as Carla wrote it... oft times her subscribers wrote her their ideas/experiences/etc and she included these notes in her "newsletters"... the book kind of grew from this, and that's why it's a huge book where the author seems to take a long time getting to the many points made in the book... there are a lot of points, because she sent out a lot of separate "newsletters" on different topics! And that's also why there are lots of comments from her friends (subscribers) through-out.

This book is a wonderful treasure for any homesteader, and I'm happy to have inherited my grandmother's copy (in a *huge* three ring notebook) as well as a newer bound edition.

Sadly the world lost Carla Emery this week, but I'm sure heaven is enjoying her presence! She was an amazing, fascinating person.

I LIVED IT!, October 23, 1998
Unlike the previous reviewers, I lived this book. I was raised in a big city in Florida and moved to a small country town (pop. 181) in the Arkansas mountains. I was in my late 20's and imagined myself as part of the back-to-the-earth movement. A friendly librarian pointed me to this book, which I bought after checking it out so often.

Since we moved to a small community where "everyone was related" except us, we did not get much neighborly help at first. The first week there we bought baby goats (which rode home in the front seat with me), 2 pigs (which didn't), and planted our garden. Using Carla's book we mail-ordered baby chicks who lived in our bathtub until the weather got warmer. We bought a wood stove and learned to can and dry vegetables. I tried most everything, using Carla's book as a reference.

When it came time to butcher our hogs, we could not get anyone to help us, even for $$. The closest we had been to a hog before moving to Oden was in the grocery store. So we checked out Carla's book and I sat on the cab of the truck reading the instructions aloud while DH took aim and shot the pig. We were both very nervous, so we went inside (it was very cold) and had a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, when we went back outside, the pig was up and boy, was he mad! I won't go into any further details except to say we had funny looking meat that winter, but it was tasty. By the way, the townsfolk treated us differently from then on.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that you can really do what she says and make it happen. Carla gives you practical backyard-to-table "hands-on" advice, and I've recommended it to may people.

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!, August 29, 2001
This is it folks. This gem is unbelievable. In my life I must have purchased over 3,000 cookbooks - probably 500 from amazon alone. Although this is NOT a cookbook (it does have many recipies), this is "THE" book! Read the previous reviews. I'll echo them. Be warned though, it is going to take you months to get through it all. It is THAT detailed. There are no pretty, color, glossy pictures - rather a weatlh of information I think would take you and I years to find. Carla Emery pulled this one off for us! It took her 24 years to produce (read about it in her bio in the back of the book).
Want to learn how to churn butter? ...turn to page 759. Need info on raising chickens? ...turn to page 619. How about topics like this: practical advice on milking a goat, canning peaches, cooking on a wood stove, how to catch a pig, buying land, drying your herbs, making sourdough spiced apple cookies, secrets of quick pickles, homemade spiced orange tea, preserving meat. Also learn how to: travel with animals, what to do if you see a downed animal, how to make good gelatin, freezing fish, raising chickens, feeding geese, vetting and grooming a goat, butchering a cow, making home made cheese - I mean this gem is loaded.
I also thought what a great gift this would make for someone bedridden - say in traction in the hospital? This will certainly keep ones interest since it covers THOUSANDS of topics - hence the name; The ENCYCLOPEDIA of Country Living. (Move over Martha Stewart!) Give this book to some of your city slicker friends - they might learn a thing or two about life outside of a 10 x 10' garden. Hey - get one for yourself, a dozen or so for Christmas gifts, a gross for the Annual Church Bizaar. Enjoy! (DISCLAIMER: I am in no way receiving compensation for this review - heck, I just loved the book!)

A must own for the serious homesteader beginner, June 12, 2006
This is a huge book 11x9 and shy 900 pages. The cover says over 600,000 copies have been sold but I bet its millions by now. When I first ordered the book I assumed it would be good, but its better than good. As a real homesteader I recommend this book for a variety of reason.

The chapters are long and thorough. Choosing to Buy Land and the chapters on Resources for Back to the Basics, Living Simply, Health Matters and Living Simply are excellent. Because in the buying land section which is long she covers everything from can you get a job near by if you need to still work, can you do with your land what you want, how do you know if the land is fertile, and the wheel and deal aspects involved. Knowing if the land is fertile is a must for anyone who wants to be fully self sufficient since growing food is a top priority.

Being able to do what you wish with your land is also important, because there are places where if you want to use a stream that runs thru your property to harness water generated power, or you want to cull trees, you have to get permits. Same with wanting to add an addition onto your abode. Some places demand you get a permit while others will let you build with the understanding that when you sell, the place is sold 'as is'.

Her food section is humongous and covers everything from seeds to growing the garden to preserving what you grow either in a cellar, or by canning, freezing or drying. She has information galore on predators, insects and snakes. Barns and fences, which is important because I know first hand what a poor fence job or poor animal shelter will do when it comes to animals getting in or out.

She has a huge section on poultry as well as goats cows, home dairying, bees, rabbits and pigs. And what is involved with birth to butchering. Speaking as someone who has had chickens for decades, and have consumed my fair share of home grown milk and meat, knowing what is involved in growing quality animals will save you lots of money in the end. Not to mention the home grown item tastes so much better than commercially grown animals. And knowing what is involved, what tools you will need when it comes time to cull or slaughter an animal is a must if the job is to be done humanely, safely and well.

She also has an important section on caring for your own dead. Don't wince! This is very important and is a natural life process. And knowing how to deal with the local authorities as far as burying a loved one on ones own property is very important. I speak of this as a widow. Caring for ones own dead isn't as hard or creepy as one thinks. Same with knowing how to handle a birth at home. On page 35 as an example she also writes about how to bath under primitive conditions, which is what we have to do here in the Sierras when the power goes out due to snow. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Domino: The Book of Decorating cracks the code to creating a beautiful home, bringing together inspiring rooms, how-to advice and insiders' secrets from today's premier tastemakers in an indispensable style manual. The editors take readers room by room, tapping the best ideas from domino magazine and culling insights from their own experiences. With an eye to making design accessible and exciting, this book demystifies the decorating process and provides the tools for making spaces that are personal, functional and fabulous. ... Read more

Reviews

well, it IS what you love about Domino...but nothing new, October 22, 2008

Great for Beginners and Young Folks!, October 22, 2008

Brilliant!, October 3, 2008
More often that not decorating books are just eye candy; after read them once you are satisfied but done. This is NOT the case with domino's first book. The domino team has managed to create a book that you will keep reading it again and again. It is simply brilliant!

Even though I have kept every issue of domino and go through them regularly, the book's format allows for a deeper approach to domino's mission. They have really worked hard to make the book into a usable tool. With more than just pretty pictures and stories, this book provides a framework for how to think about putting together a room (and yes their is new content).

I am only disappointed in two ways: 1, I wish the book referenced the issue each in which each room originally appeared and/or provided information about the products in each room. Perhaps there was not enough space, but access to information is one of my favorite parts of domino's monthly. 2, They also overlooked closets as room. And lets face it they have featured some stunning closets over the past few years.

Buy this book, you will NOT regret it!!!

Delightful Design!, October 2, 2008
Unlike the previous reviewer, I adore my new Domino book. First of all, the compact size is perfect for throwing in your bag when you decide to hit the shops and boutiques. You can pull it out and it lays flat easily; the sections are divided into easy to read and easy to access room-by-room descriptions that make referencing easy. Each section starts with layout, then design, then accessories and tips and in true Domino fashion, the tone is casual, friendly and accessible. There's nothing snotty or stuck up about Domino, which is one reason I love it. Second, I'm glad they used material from past issues. I certainly don't have the room to save all my magazines! For those unacquainted with the Domino magazine ethos - green, friendly, idiosyncratic and affordable design for all - this is a great intro to the monthly features and to home design itself. I think the thing i love most is the subtitle: "a room by room guide to creating a home that makes you happy" which, in these volatile, dangerous, lean economic and political times, is especially meaningful.

How To Be Your Own Decorator, October 10, 2008
Domino Magazine came on the scene in 2005 just three short years ago. It melded fashion and decor and immediately energized the shelter magazine market, appealing to 20 to 40 year olds, and finding an even wider Baby Boom audience. Its hip and refreshing "how to" attitude to creating your own pretty decor soundly resonated.
Even the professional designers presented had a homey approach using revamped flea market finds, big box store items, and their own personal products.
It provided a "power to the people" approach. Everyone can shop at a flea market, Target, CB2, or eBay, etc. The message is: Everyone has access to a happy looking and pretty home.
Domino The Book Of Decorating is written by the magazine's editors, and it continues the grass roots philosophy of the magazine, using their own homes and thought processes and sources as examples.
The book is written is a fun and breezy manner, and it reminds me of another book: Decorating Is Fun! by Dorothy Draper. This 1939 (!) classic has recently been reissued, and it's enduring advice is timeless and current. I think DTBOD has the same appeal and chance to become a classic of it's time (and possibly a candidate for a nostalgic re-issue 50 years from now).
The book is published without a dust jacket, a compact volume, very beefy and satisfying in the hand. It reminds me of a text book, and indeed it could be considered as such for anyone who loves decor, whether you are the home decorator, layman, or professional.
So do buy this enjoyable book, and get happy being your own decorator!
If you are lucky enough to be able to hire a professional (and please do!), this book will help you understand the nuts and bolts of decorating, and allow you be a proactive participant in this fun and exciting process.

Guide to modern eclectic style, November 11, 2008

A Few Good Ideas, October 23, 2008

This Isn't Your Mama's Decorating Book!, October 20, 2008

For a Limited Audience, October 14, 2008
If you are a twenty-something, single, career woman in New York City -- or just wish you were -- this will be a valuable decorating book for you. If not, the direction of the book will be less than satisfying. Recommended only for those who are familiar with the magazine and crave more.

Grown-Ups Live Here, March 22, 2010
My husband and I were tired of living like grad students, so I bought this book. I never read the magazine and knew NOTHING about decorating. Somehow, after flipping through it a few times, I felt confident to attack the apartment. One month later, we now live like adults, and I love coming home to our organized home with real furniture. I found the book so accessible and sensible in terms of costs (no telling me to drop a couple grand on an armchair or whatever... unless I want to) and effort (no one suggesting I retile my own floor).

I can't speak for people who already know what they're doing in terms of interior design, but for a novice like me, this book has been worth every penny. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reminiscent in both spirit and design of the beloved Whole Earth Catalog, Country Wisdom & Know-How is an unprecedented collection of information on nearly 200 individual topics of country and self-sustained living. Compiled from the information in Storey Publishing's landmark series of "Country Wisdom Bulletins," this book is the most thorough and reliable volume of its kind. Organized by general topic including animals, cooking, crafts, gardening, health and well-being, and home, it is further broken down to cover dozens of specifics from "Building Chicken Coops" to "Making Cheese, Butter, and Yogurt" to "Improving Your Soil" to "Restoring Hardwood Floors." Nearly 1,000 black-and-white illustrations and photographs run throughout and fascinating projects and trusted advice crowd every page. ... Read more

Reviews

Very interesting, very thorough, great reference, April 30, 2005
If you could gather up the wisdom of the many generations of farmers, ranchers, outdoorsmen, homesteaders, and mountain-men and put it into a book you would end up with a book like this. While this is not as thorough as the multi-volume sets like the older Foxfire series, it is one of the most complete single-volume works available. The text is small in order to cram all the information into this oversized almost 500 page book but it is still readable and very interesting. The book is divided into the six major sections of animals, cooking, crafts, gardening, health and well-being, and home. Each of these major divisions is subdivided into multiple more detailed sections. For example, the animals section includes information on attracting desirable animals such as humming birds, building bird shelters, feeding birds while preventing squirrels from robbing the feeder, getting rid of problem animals, taking care of your pets, herbal treatments for dog problems, rabbit husbandry, horsemanship, raising chickens and ducks, beekeeping, and butchering. Each section is similarly detailed with the gardening section being particularly large. Country Wisdom and Know-How is an indispensable reference volume for anyone interested in country living and is highly recommended.

Full of Fascinating Information, April 14, 2006
This is an odd book for someone to buy that lives in a major metropolitan area. However, if you are interested in how things used to be done, and/or are looking for more control over the products that affect your family this is an interesting read.

PROS:
1. Nice collection of feline information. From building a cat tree, to giving your cat pills, and teaching your cat tricks.
2. Very detailed information on gardening.
3. How to make homemade candy including salt-water taffy. Who knew?
4. Significant section on Preserving, pickling, canning and distilling.
5. Natural Home Remedies for many common ailments.

CONS:
1. The print is very, very, very small. Expect to use reading glasses.
2. I would have preferred a hardback, but that wasn't an option.

Overall, a highly recommend for those that are lacking in how to do things that our parents and grandparents took for granted.

Great book - Text is sooo small, December 28, 2004
I got this for xmas 04. I have looked at a few subjects and the amount and depth of facts on so many subjects is very impressive. 500 pages and the book is huge. The font/type size is really small which adds to the size of the info but it is really kind of small to read. Its a good thing Im nearsighted..
I read about raising ducks. It was so much info - very interesting and complete.
Recently I bought Readers Digest Back To Basics at a library book sale. It is also really good although maybe not as in depth it is really good and the illustrations are better. I like both books.

Great Info but Greatly Disappointing Book, March 9, 2008
A huge compendium of information from animal husbandry to construction and crafts to gardening...even how to recipes. That's the good news. I have great admiration for Storey Books and own many of their products. This book, however, is not up to par with their other products.

The publishing (not by Storey itself) leaves much to be desired. I'm surprised Storey put their name to it. I'd have gladly paid triple the price for a better quality soft-cover or hard-cover books with good quality pages and larger print...even if in several volumes. In fact, that's exactly what Storey should do with this and the similar "Survival Wisdom" book. They would be great hits and huge sellers. So what if it's a collection all in one book. The brown paper cover and lighter-than-newsprint pages require extremely delicate handling, and the tiny print is almost painful to read.

Much, if not all, of this book's contents are from the Storey "Country Wisdom Bulletin" series. It would ceratinly cost more, but a set of the bulletins may be the better option.

Overall, I'm disappointed. Regardless how potentially useful the information in its pages, this book is not a prudent buy.

This book is responsible for me moving!, March 28, 2008
Our copy of Country Wisdom & Know-How is very worn and tattered but still remains the focal point of our coffee table.
I discovered this book at a Barnes & Noble while living in the city. Was attracted to it because of it's paper-bag-like cover. Even though I lived in the middle of a city, in an apartment, I bought it anyway. My wife and I became hooked! Fell in love with the idea of having a hobby farm because of this book and packed up and moved to the country.
Everything you could think of is stuffed into this book, from Beekeeping to butchering chickens to building a compost bin. The book it's self is huge, but the print is very small. The "organic" looking cover doesn't last long. But the material inside is awesome.
Since this book, my wife and I have started a small side business keeping honeybees and selling our honey at farmers markets. We also enjoy making pickles, canning, raising chickens, and watching our daughter grow up in a world much richer than what we had in the city.
Highly recommend this book for any city dweller interested in starting a life in the country. It's a reference you'll never live without!

Good Book, Small Print, September 11, 2007
I agree with a lot of the reviewers that the print is small. But this book is packed with tons of info about country living. After having lived in the city for years we now live in the country and have found a lot of helpful hints. It's divided quite well and particular topics are easy to locate.

A mixed bag, September 14, 2009
I originally intended to leave a scathing review, but held off until I was in a better mood. There is a lot of good information in this book - printed in tiny text on very large pages. This is not a problem for my 20/10 vision, but may be an issue for some. I really like the info about cheese and yogurt making. The gardening and animal sections are good solid starting points although leaning a little more towards conventional methods. There are lots of good recipes. (Perhaps a few too many.)

My problem is that in between the good information, there are a lot of perfectly useless topics such as training your cat, feeding birds, stenciling, busy-work crafts, etc. These are not awful subjects to read about, but this text devotes way too much time to such superfluous pursuits. Before you think I'm cold-hearted, consider the fact that there is 3 times as much material about feeding birds than there is on raising chickens. Then consider the title of the book and you tell me...

Great if you are looking for a overview of many subjects to get started with.

Great resource - very small print, March 12, 2007
This book is filled with a lot of information and I believe a great resource. It includes a great deal of details on all topics listed. This book was a present for my father who has retired and working to "live off the land". He was very impressed.
The only draw back is the small print -

Even my grandma was amazed, April 27, 2007
This book is filled from cover to cover with great information on how to do things yourself. I love learning about how to do things the old-fashioned way. With modern technology so easy to crash, I feel safer knowing that I can survive on my knowledge a little better after having this book. Some of the ideas my grandma could even remember doing with her grandma. There is something to say about the strength of time honored tradition.

Good Content, Bad Packaging, January 7, 2010
I am sure that the information in this book is excellent, as I have read other Storey guides before and found them very helpful. However, when the other reviewers comment on the size of the font and the quality of the paper, they have a very legitimate complaint. The font is miniscule, and the paper is thin and flimsy. Also, the large size of the book makes it difficult to pick up and flip through. As someone interested in the aesthetics of a book as well as the content, I would have to say this is a very poor design. I would rather pay more and get a book I could read more easily. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Informative, Entertaining and Ever So Useful, January 11, 2005
Don't buy this book if you're looking for recommendations on which brands of applicances to buy -- even Alton Brown would admit that you're better off checking out "Cook's Illustrated" or "Consumer Reports" for that. What this book is brilliant for is the explanations of what the most commonly used kitchen tools do and don't (and can and can't) do and how they work, along with the practical tips for picking the items that suit your needs best. Alton Brown does, from time to time, make specific recommendations, but he tells you why he likes those items so that you can accept or reject them on the merits. Also it should be noted that some of his recommendations run contrary to what he recommends for baking in "I'm Just Here for More Food," so if you bake a lot, you might want to read that book as well before shopping for items such as scales and mixers that are used in both cooking and baking. "Gear For Your Kitchen" covers items used in both, but emphasizes cooking.

Alton covers each type of equipment thoroughly, explaining, for instance, what types of pans are good for different types of cooking applications, and what are the various properties of the different materials out of which they are made. So not only do you end up understanding the diffference between a sauce pan and a saucier, you can figure out whether clad metal or copper is your best bet. This same type of treatment is given for knives, small appliances, etc.

But my favorite part of the book has to do with sanitation and storage. The explanations of why certain sanitary measures need to be taken are coupled with easy ways to do it. I couldn't get a frozen enchilada smell out of my microwave oven until I mixed water and bleach in the proportions Alton recommends in a plastic spray bottle. So simple and obvious and yet...

While reading this (cover to cover in practically one sitting -- it's that readable) I found myself enjoying Alton's humorous descriptions, numerous photos and drawings. But I've found myself going back to the book as a handy reference for ingenious ways to use items I already have and ideas for shopping more intelligently.

Since buying this book I've cleared out and reorganized my kitchen and even though I bought a lot more stuff after reading this book, I have more space and am able to use it more efficiently.

Thanks Alton!

Fine Tune your Kitchen and add fun to your cooking, September 14, 2003
The top five (5) reasons for reading Alton Brown's GEAR For Your Kitchen are:

1. The tabulation of types of `Pots and Pans' materials, their advantages, disadvantages, and relative costs. This chapter alone is worth the price of admission. This section will not save you money except for its advice on non-stick pans. All sources I've seen from Mario Batali to AB agree on not spending a lot for Teflon � lined pans, except be sure to get them with oven proof handles for making frittatas.
2. The thoughtful discussion of knife design and how different design features are important, or not important for different cutting tasks. This section will save you money, unless you are a knife freak.
3. The discussion of most major types of gear, which give you the features you should find most desirable. You may not agree with AB's choices, but he tells you how to make the choice which is best for you.
4. The essay on kitchen sanitation. This is one of many areas where the home cook can learn from professional chefs' practice. I'll bet that even Martha Stewart is not as careful as Alton recommends, and I plan to begin following his recommendations immediately. Note that one can make a little game of finding all the oblique references to Martha Stewart in the book. I've found four (4).
5. The explanation of accuracy versus precision in evaluating measuring devices, especially weighing devices. Being a former chemist, I would argue that AB gives too little credit to the role of the balance, although I concede that using it in the kitchen does require both extra space and special knowledge the average chef may not have.

To the book's credit, it has a wealth of references to actual makes and models, while I have detected no bias to any one manufacturer, in spite of some gratuitous general kudos to OXO. AB's opinions are based on a thorough and thoughtful use of kitchen tools over many years, so his opinions are much better than your Aunt Ida, no matter how good her apple pie may be. However, I take some with a grain of salt. I would not dismiss springform pans unless I heard both Maida Heatter and Nick Malgieri gave them up.

Another minor nit I would pick is in his use of the term multitasking. In computer science, where the word was born, it means the ability to do two things in parallel, not two different things in series! I would especially disagree with some of the uses to which he puts a rolling pin, as some secondary uses may lead to nicks which may harbor microbeasties and impair it function. The solution of sanding said roller may give it an uneven shape. Tsk Tsk.

This book is much better than his first, since it addresses in a comprehensive way a subject which is only dealt with in a very piecemeal way by any other source, including Cooks Illustrated. His first book was just another collection of recipes with humor and some (occasionally) misleading science.

Great Resource for Cooks of Any Caliber, October 12, 2003
"Gear for your Kitchen" provides a fairly in-depth discussion on the whys and hows of choosing various sorts of kitchen implements, from cutlery to pans to small appliances. Alton Brown uses his sense of humor to help present this information in a book that is truly easy and pleasurable to read. There is another book of this nature, a very large and diverse treatise, which attempts to showcase all the various sorts of kitchen gear available to the home cook. But unlike "Gear" it doesn't provide the information that we really need to choose our cookware.

What is great about this book is that in addition to giving actual suggestions of specific products for various sorts of implements, it also goes into great detail to show you how to choose items that will work for you. Brown is careful to highlight areas where paying more money isn't likely in your best interest (e.g. the non-stick fry pans as mentioned in another review, for instance) and where it is (e.g. cutlery).

The goal of having the smallest set of kitchen wear to do all the cooking you need to do is a running theme in this book. In addition to a suggested exercise in minimizing your current kitchen implements, there are many suggestions on how you can use items for tasks other than they are intended, instead of buying specialty pieces (e.g. using the bottom of a heavy fry pan in the place of a meat pounder).

This book is a great resource for cooks of all sorts, from beginners to those with years of experience. It will make a great gift for those people who are just starting out on their own!

Where were you Alton?, October 12, 2004
About a year or so ago I finally gave up. All my knives were dull. All my pans were warped and flaking. All my appliances were not working as I wanted. I decided that I enjoyed cooking, but avoided it because of my equipment. I decided I'd start buying only stuff that'd last a life time or until something better came out.

It started with picking up some Wusthof knives, one every couple months. Then I started getting some new small appliances, and now I'm on to pans. I've cleaned out my "junk" drawer of unitaskers and replaced them with quality instruments.

The bad news, if I had Alton's book, I would have saved a lot of time on research. The good news is, I did fairly well on my own.

I admire Alton and this book in particular for two reason: He's innovative with his tools so that the least number of items can do the most tasks. I used to have four different garlic tools. I now I have one -- a knife. Also, a cooking tool doesn't have to come from a cooking store. Second, I enjoy how Alton doesn't shy from naming names, both the good and bad. In most parts of the book, he explains exactly what he thinks you should have and why. It's up to you if that sounds good to you.

A nice little plus is he gives recipes demonstrating some of the gear he discusses. So when you go out and buy something new, you can try it out.

You'll see a lot of this book on his shows. This is probably what this book is best at, a reference for the TV show. The book is not an authoritative look at what pan is best for this or that, or whatever. Cook's Illustrated is probably a better source for this. This is more of an overview of information. Some parts are more in-depth than others. I get the impression that the book was written from Alton's memory. In other words, Alton relied on past research and experience to write this book without going the extra steps to be more in-depth or complete. Some items are better researched and more in-depth than others, which illustrates this point. If it's important to Alton, he knows it front and back and has tested various products. If not, you just get a rough guide of what to look for.

In short, this book is basically Alton's view on cooking tools, which certainly is impressive, but I would not recommend making this book a shopping list. I don't agree with everything in the book, but it does arm you with enough information to know what you're doing at the store. Case in point, I'm looking for a new roasting pan. Alton incorrectly states that the All-Clad has an aluminum core -- it's only stainless steel. While certainly a quality pan, I'm looking for a more affordable alternative since the big thing with All-Clad is the aluminum core. Alton comes into play on what I specifically want: A stainless steel (non-reactive) pan that is heavy enough to de-glaze on the stove. In this case, I'm looking past Alton's strong product recommendation, but I know exactly what I want and why.

Alton's books and shows made me aware of my neglect for food safety. Some great tips in there. The kitchen truly is the most danger room in the house.

If you enjoy Alton's show and his tips for gear, you'll like this book, even if you've seen every episode. At the very least you'll have something to reference. For everyone else, I'd say page through it at a book store and look up topic you're familiar with. If you agree with what he says, buy it. You'll probably agree with everything else.

I don't like the new Cuisinart either, June 29, 2004
I'm a hobby cook and also a gadget-junkie, so I was delighted to discover this book by one of my favorite people on the Food Network. Brown covers much more than simply can-openers and veggie-peelers, though. His topical chapters cover pots and pans, storage containers, small miscellaneous utensils, safety items, "sharp things," and "small things with plugs," and perhaps the best way to read the book is to browse from the beginning and then read his descriptions, comments, and opinions on certain items as they come to mind. I'm a regular reader of the consumer tests in COOK'S ILLUSTRATED, too, and I think Brown and Christopher Kimball would agree in many ways on what makes a particular tool useful and what features to look for among the products available. Brown's judgments are admittedly personal but he explains them very clearly. Not everything must be specially purchased, either; he recommends a length of dental floss for cutting slices of soft cheese, and he boils eggs in an electric kettle that automatically turns itself off when it reaches a boil. (Great idea!) The book's page design is also quite nice, with good photos and drawings of the tools he discusses, side discussions and tips highlighted in color, and lots of open space. All his sources appear at the back of the book. I certainly hope he does a revised and updated edition in about five years.

Three words: buy this book, November 20, 2004
My fellow reviewers who agreed that this book is worth 5 stars have probably said what I feel better than I could. In a nutshell, this is an excellent resource to have on hand to learn which tools you really need for YOUR kitchen....not Alton's.

The six-month "purge" in the beginning of the book is worth the price of the book alone. It's such a simple technique but it's laid out in such logical detail that anyone who does this will know immediately how much space and money they've wasted on kitchen trinkets, cheap and expensive alike.

The section on cookware is an excellent resource for people who are scraping by on whatever cookware they got from their mother or from the local superstore. It'll help you choose the cookware (and individual pieces) that are best suited for YOU.
I also found his information on cutlery selection to be valuable.

Also, Brown doesn't automatically lean toward the idea that "expensive is better". In fact, he seems refreshingly honest when he tells you that superior tools can often be bought cheaper than at a restaurant supply store. One example is that he opts to use a trowel from the local hardware store rather than buy an expensive "pie server" from one of the houseware vendors.

In other areas, he's candid enough to say, "Hey, this is going to last you a lifetime and if you buy the cheapo, you're going to regret it."

Overall, I thought it was refreshingly honest, thorough and -- well, just plain fun to read.

Regarding the the person who said that "$28 was too much" for a book that "wasn't very big", I'm not sure what the complaint was. Although the book is 200+ pages, well-written and wonderfully designed, that's not even the pragmatic point of the book. It's this: knowing the information in this book will save you a heck of alot more than $28 when buying the RIGHT kitchen gear instead of wasting money on stuff you don't need or shouldn't own. If it does that.....well, in my opinion, it's done its job.

Plus, even if someone knows alot of this stuff, it's a good gift item for the chef/cook in YOUR life. Buy two and give one as a gift!

Can a Kitchen Implement Book Be Interesting? YES!, August 9, 2004
How interesting can a book on kitchen implements be? I have always loved kitchen gadgets and machines, and although I'm the one who drags my wife through the kitchenware sections of stores, I still asked this question about this book. Well, it is a very interesting book, and I wish I had read this before buying most of what's in my kitchen.

Alton Brown is the host of the Food Network show GOOD EATS. The show was first brought to my attention by a local radio morning show DJ. Alton is a sort of combination of Julia Childs and Mr. Wizard with a little wackiness of Jeff Corwin thrown in. After quickly getting addicted to the show, I wondered if Alton had any books, and my search led me to GEAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN.

In the short time I've been watching the show, he's twice lifted his fire extinguisher and said, "This is the only unitasker in my kitchen." That philosophy permeates this book. You will also find that he will often use non-kitchen tools if he feels they perform the task better. He serves pie with a masonry trowel and scapes dough with a drywall taping knife.

He's not afraid to name names, which is extremely beneficial and not often seen in books (Don't want to upset potential advertisers!). So instead of just describing what to look for in an item, he tells you what item(s) meets those requirements. Of course, this risks making the book quickly dated. He is also not afraid to say what items he's abandoned when they were poorly "updated," such as now recommending the Kitchenaid food processor over his once-favorite Cuisinart because Cuisinart changed the toggle switch to a membrane switch. Hopefully, some of the revelation will guide the manufacturers to provide better products.

The book is very easy to read, and reads like listening to the author on his show. The layout is very attractive. The book is punctuated with interesting sidebars giving historical information on the materials and products. There are actually a handful of recipes using the tools described in that section. For example, the section on food processors includes a recipe for Hummus. The book is full of photos of recommended items. There is a several-page table on cooking utensil materials: what they are, what they're good for, and what they're not. Some of these sidebars and tables are very appealing to an engineer like me (Alton Brown, in general, probably appeals to engineers like me), but may be boring to others. You can skip many of them without much damage.

Chapters are Pots and Pans, Sharp Things (knives and slicers), Small Things with Plugs (electric countertop kitchen appliances), Kitchen Tools Unplugged (pretty much any tool that doesn't fall into the other categories), Storage and Containment, and a potentially ho-hum chapter on Safety and Sanitation, which wasn't so bad. I could probably benefit from this last chapter, although (famous last words) I've never gotten sick from anything I made in my kitchen. It's harder explaining to my wife why I'm buying spray bottles and squeegees.

I can offer a few suggestions for improvements. Mainly, additional illustrations are needed to help describe differences in some items. He could use diagrams to describe different kinds of pots and pans, different turners and spatulas, and the different whisks. He does this very thing describing different kinds of knives and the parts of the knives, but falls down on the job in the other sections. There are text descriptions like "straight sides," "curved sides," "flared sides," "sides that curve outward," "they all have an offset angle built into them either at the tip or in the handle," and others. It can be hard to conceive in your mind (or maybe it's really simple, and I'm just messed up because I'm an engineer and he's not describing what plane he's working in, what line he's referring the angle to, etc.) By "straight sides" does he mean "vertical?"

And p. 192 confuses me. Alton insists there is a difference between turners and spatulas, but under "Wide, Solid Turner," he describes a particular product he owns, and there is a photo of it with a caption that clearly describes it as the same item, but calls it a "spatula." Furthermore, the next section, "Cake Spatulas," the first describing spatulas, refers to "the spatula described above." Ugh. Which is it? Are spatulas and turners the same or not?

OK. Minor point.

Mr. Brown does concedes that there may be a few good unitaskers, and admits to owning a few, but only if they do a job you need a done a lot, and it does it very well. Oh...and he does discuss fire extinguishers.

I don't think I'll personally purchase this book since it is in the my local library, and it's not something I think I'll have to refer to frequently. However, if you don't have access to it, or want to keep it around for the recipes (or have an unlimited book budget and bookcase space), I'd highly recommend purchasing GEAR FOR YOUR KITCHEN.

From a fan Great Book, but not a good buy, January 22, 2005
This is a great book, and very informative. As he does in his first book, he explains the concepts behind cooking in an almost scientific. BUT many of the most important tidbits are found in abbreviated with his first book. He also tends not to give the full story when endorsing a particular product. The Pressure Cooker, Stand Mixer, Perfect Beaker, etc. So before you buy, look at the recommendations on this site, consumer reports, and any other nonpartisan source you can.

My suggestion is try and find this book at your library, then decide if you want to buy it. For me I took a few notes, then returned the book. I can always go check it out, and its not the type of book I'll always have out.

(oh and before any of you try this, the terra cotta smoker is great, but not nearly as cheap and convenient as the smokey joe smoker in I'm just here for the food).

A Must-Have, June 10, 2004
Nominated this year for another James Beard Award (for Tools and Techniques), Alton Brown has yet another gem for all to enjoy, "Gear For Your Kitchen". In this wonderful gem, Alton Brown explains how you can declutter your kitchen within 60 days and stock your kitchen with useful tools that you will actually use!

As any "Good Eats" fan will tell you, Alton Brown believes in "multi-taskers." His logic is: Why have a yogurt maker when you only use it once a year? Instead, he shows us, on one of his shows, how he utilizes a heating pad and a couple of canisters to achieve the same results.

Not only does he suggest unusual items for your kitchen (a cigar cutter to chop chives), but he also recommends traditional items. He explains the process with which one should consider before purchasing any item. He does explain how he chose that certain coffee maker, but he explains how we need to figure out which one is best for us.

Being as he is forever in search of a great utensil or appliance, he is quick to point out which items are more difficult to clean, and not worth buying, and which ones are worth buying. In the section devoted purely to pots and pans, he explains each metal used for cooking, the best uses for that metal, how to care for it and the good and bad points with each metal.

Instead of purchasing that expensive imported terra-cotta cookware, he suggests (with diagrams) on how to create your own cookware from flowerpots...I mean, they are both made from the same material. Why pay more because one says "cookware"?

And he doesn't stop there. He also helps his readers by helping them select safety and sanitation supplies for their kitchens!

And if you thought that was not enough, he has a large resource section, in the back of the book, where he recommends some excellent places to purchase your items, either through mail, telephone or Internet!

This book is complete with Alton Brown's sense of humor, wit and enthusiasm. He is one of the only people out there creating books for people who never went to culinary school. I appreciate his thoroughness, and recommend this book to all new cooks, and for the more seasoned chefs as well.

Always fascinating, February 16, 2005
My husband bought me this book (along with the newest set of the Good Eats DVDs). Initially, I didn't think that this book would be for me even though Good Eats is one of my favorite shows. As interesting as Alton Brown is, I didn't think that a book just about kitchen tools would be interesting. Then I started reading it. AB has such a unique way of writing that I was instantly mesmerized. It makes me want to go through my kitchen and purge all the unitaskers I've accumulated over the years. I will get there, though it may take a while. As an added bonus, he includes quite a few interesting recipes (that correspond to the gear he is talking about). I will never again doubt AB. In my opinion, he's the best there is in the cooking world. ... Read more

Editorial Review

“Waste not, want not” with this guide to saving money, taking heart, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

Nowadays, many of us “outsource” basic tasks. Food is instant, ready-made, and processed with unhealthy additives. Dry cleaners press shirts, delivery guys bring pizza, gardeners tend flowers, and, yes, tailors sew on those pesky buttons. But life can be much simpler, sweeter, and richer–and a lot more fun, too! As your grandmother might say, now is not the time to be careless with your money, and it actually pays to learn how to do things yourself!

Practical and empowering, How to Sew a Button collects the treasured wisdom of nanas, bubbies, and grandmas from all across the country–as well as modern-day experts–and shares more than one hundred step-by-step essential tips for cooking, cleaning, gardening, and entertaining, including how to

• polish your image by shining your own shoes
• grow your own vegetables (and stash your bounty for the winter)
• sweeten your day by making your own jam
• use baking soda and vinegar to clean your house without toxic chemicals
• feel beautiful by perfecting your posture
• roll your own piecrust and find a slice of heaven
• fold a fitted sheet to crisp perfection
• waltz without stepping on any toes

Complete with helpful illustrations and brimming with nostalgic charm, How to Sew a Button provides calm and comfort in uncertain times. By doing things yourself, with care and attention, you and your loved ones will feel the pleasing rewards of a job well done. ... Read more

Reviews

Really "nifty!", January 22, 2010
How To Sew A Button... is a great read. It's got a lot of stuff in it that I'd call "lost arts." I loved the way it was designed and it was fun, as well. If you want to know about stuff that your grandma might have failed to tell you, get this book. It's wonderful! Also, it's about getting back to the basicc things that make life not only easier, but really enjoyable. A must, must read! I also suggest The Big Clean: How to Clean and Organize Your Home and Free Your Mind (Revised and Updated).

Great Resource for the younger generations, March 25, 2010
An easy read, How to Sew a Button is going to be a resource for future generations. Due to the technology overload of generations such as mine and younger, so many of us no longer know how to do practical things that our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents could do without skipping a beat. When starting to write this book the author, Erin, no longer had her grandparents to consult with for wisdom. Therefore, she rounded up ten grandmothers from different backgrounds, all across the country, to give her grandmotherly advice and knowledge.

The book covers topics such as:

- How to make a pie, which Erin tried to do for a group of friends and failed miserably at. I, myself, consider making a pie getting a slice of pumpkin cheesecake pie from Outback during the fall.

- How to properly fold a fitted sheet, the keyword there being properly. I know you all probably think you know how to fold a fitted sheet, but balling it up and tossing it in the linen closet doesn't count. I have been blessed with this lost art, so this advice wasn't needed on my end.

- How to iron a shirt. Now, you may be laughing, but while watching trasy TV the other day I saw a boy on MTV's made who told his coach he had never ironed anything. Seriously? He may need to read that section.

She also has some pretty cool how-to information, like:

- How to scent your home without candles

- How to love your body at any size

- How to brew your own beer

And information on the lost art of thank-you notes. She'll teach you how to write one. With your hands... and a pen... and paper.

And of course, you'll learn How to sew a button.

Erin has a great sense of humor which is reflected in her writing. You'll chuckle while learning a thing or two!

As if your best friend suddenly morphed into a Donna Reed-Tina Fey hybrid, December 15, 2009
Conveniently, as we've all begun to tighten our purse strings, this book has appeared on the scene to offer us more than 100 straightforward and step-by-step how-to's for everyday life. Each is written in a practical yet humor filled and very approachable tone -- as if your best friend suddenly morphed into a Donna Reed-Tina Fey hybrid.

There is so much amazing content between the covers of this guide including how to: hone a knife, iron a shirt (wow do I need to study up on this one), clean an oven, tie a necktie, make a hot toddy, barter, start a book club, wear red lipstick, and my personal favorite how to make a Manhattan. My boyfriend's grandparents always serve Manhattans when we visit and even though I've observed them being mixed a number of times I always seem to forget the steps (probably because one lovingly composed Manhattan goes straight to your head).

I'm confident that you'll find dozens of useful tips in this book. I even discovered additional insights while reading write-ups on tasks that I thought I had down to a science. How to Sew a Button is a fantastic addition to your bedside table. In addition, I believe this title would make an excellent holiday present. Freaking out over what to buy for that friend, relative, or co-worker who has everything? Why not give them the gift of practical knowledge?! It will certainly last longer and be more appreciated than a box of chocolates or a scarf. Besides, after reading this book they'll be able to knit their own.

Super-duper handy!, May 9, 2010
This book really fills a need. Sometime between our grandparents' generation and ours, a lot of basic how-to information just never got passed down, or we never learned it, for one reason or another. From topic to topic, I kept finding myself saying, "Oh, hey, that's helpful," or, "Oh! I've always wondered how to do this." Thanks to this book, I now know how. I liked the words of wisdom from the grandmothers at the beginning of each topic, which helped to connect their depression-era sensibilities with our need to conserve due to economic concerns. Plus, Erin's humor seasoned throughout the book makes it a fun read. I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot.

fun read, March 9, 2010
This book made me feel a little nostalgic. It reminded me of things that I have learned from older relatives through the years. It's great for people who didn't have a chance to know someone from the depression era that they could learn from. It's very informative and entertaining. I suggest giving it to someone young for a gift. They would learn from it and enjoy the read.

Helpful and enchanting, February 8, 2010
In a time when it's too easy to buy things ready-made and toss things that are frayed, this book and its premise are a refreshing resource.

Perfect book for our economic times, February 8, 2010
Lovely, simple advice on how to handle just about everything in your life. I was raised by my grandmother and I do know how to sew on a button but this book is so much more than that. This book covers so many different topics. Each chapter distills information that you might otherwise buy a whole book to learn. The book itself is such a bargain with all the wonderful information and the ideas have already saved myself and my family money. Thanks so much for this book! We love it!

Things you never knew you needed to know!, June 10, 2010
There is such a wide variety of info in such a small book. No description is more than a page or two long so you're not mired down in lots of details. It gets to the point. I got this from the library first and loved it so much I bought 2 copies - 1 for me and 1 for a graduate going off to college. While she may not need to know how to make a Manhattan, hanging pictures will come in handy! I love this book!

A Wonderful Book, May 29, 2010
This is simply a wonderful book. It would be a great gift for a college bound senior. I consider myself crafty, and enjoy the art of homemaking, and this is by far the best book I have read on the matter. Although I knew many of the things she taught, Erin Bried writes with such humor, that I would often read just to hear what she said on the matter. She writes clearly, and simply, and so cleverly that I often found myself laughing aloud even as I squirreled away knowledge for later use. Truly a wonderful book.

Found a lot of useful stuff in this book!!, May 10, 2010
I enjoyed this book and was a bit bummed I couldn't renew it at the library (there's a waiting list). There's a little something for everyone (or most people at least) in this book. I was inspired from this book to start cleaning more with baking soda and vinegar, to grow herbs, and to start canning fruit. There was also plenty of stuff I either already knew or wasn't interested in, too...but I think the author expects that. Something else I took away from this book was the reminder that I need to make sure I pass along the skills I value to my own children. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Crisp, Clean, & Surgical instructions, February 20, 2000
There are certain skills that are "wasted" on no one. Home repair is one such skill. I believe that 5 weeks after purchasing this book - the book has already paid for itself. My parents moved back into my grandmother's 1960-era house after she passed away last year. The house was in need of a few repairs, but money was a limiting factor. I had to find a way to teach myself (and my dad) how to weatherproof the basement, replacing an ancient water heater & dishwasher, replace several outlets with new GFCI (p. 397!) outlets, and finally, how to update the upstair's faucets and fixtures. I logged onto Amazon.com and typed-in HOME REPAIR. To be honest, I chose this book because it had 500+ pages and two 5-star reviews. When this book arrived, I instantly felt the weight and quality of the binding.(think college textbook material) I quickly found DETAILED descriptions of the tasks I would soon have to perform. I called my father and said "Get ready we're going to Home Depot!" On the phone, my father expressed concern over our lack of experience. When my father got in my truck, I handed him the the Black&Decker text. I had put PostIt's on the pages with our projects. He slipped on his glasses and peered through his bi-focals and didn't say a word on the way to purchase tools & supplies. Once in the parking lot, I could hardly turn-off the engine before he was pointing to pictures saying "Ours looks just like this! I want some gloves like that!" And he was making a bee-line for the door!(the old man can move!) He was excited and so was I. Now, it has beeen 5 weeks since that first trip to Home Depot. Both my father and I have the cuts and scrapes and the ever present sore backs to prove that we have done our own home repairs. My father now keeps the Black&Decker text at his house "for safe keeping." He cleans the text with a moist cloth after each project. The projects don't seem to have an end in sight, which I believe is a direct result of my dad reading the text for "suggestions." My suggestion....don't let anyone "borrow" this text, unless of course - you love him!

A great new homeowner starter book!, October 5, 1999
I just bought this book and really love it. It's simple and easy to understand, and considering that I have never done much home repair before, this was a plus. It's the hammer and nail equivilent to that Betty Crocker cookbook we've all be hauling around for years. Always something new that you never knew you needed!

Invaluable Resource, January 6, 2005
We recently purchased an old home with lots of "problems". I borrowed this book from my local library (along with Black & Decker's Home Improvement) and was amazed at how clear and detailed it was. I think the best part is how they use real photos of everything, and not sketches. There are well over 2000 photos. Within days, I was dealing with and solving basement issues, plumbing problems, electrical outlets, and many more things that I did not even thing of. The books helped so much that I decided to go ahead and purchase them here on Amazon. There are countless home improvement books out there and some rank better than others. From what I've seen, the Black & Decker series ranks at the top and are an invaluable resource. It literally pays for itself with all the money saving tips and instructions. I recommend this book, along with Black & Decker's Home Improvement and Outdoor to anyone looking to save money on home repairs.

My new favorite home repair guide, October 14, 2004
A good home repair guide is an absolute requirement for those of us who know very little about home repair but feel the urge on occasion to tackle some of those odd jobs around the house. While there are many guides on the market today the best ones have an abundance of photographs or detailed illustrations to help the reader see what they are supposed to be doing. With over 2,300 photos Black and Decker's The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair is the epitome of this class of books. Processes and techniques are described step by step in detail with no prior knowledge assumed. Everything is so well done anyone can complete any of the projects if they can read and follow directions. I've had several home repair books, but this one just became my top choice for the one I want to have around as my primary reference. The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair is a very highly recommended book for every homeowner or handyman.

about time, January 4, 2000
was looking for a book with many visuals and pointers, in the style of DK books. The library had the usual books of mostly text and poor visuals, but this one really breaks ranks and stands out to help as a instant information assistant.

Did my first repair thanks to this book!, November 15, 2004
I'm reading the other reviews here, so I thought I'd weigh in, hoping it will help the prospective buyer. This book is about as good as it gets for do-it-yourself home repair. Lots of home repairs are far easier than you think, and just take time and maybe some new tools. Even with the cost of new tools, it will often be cheaper than calling a professional. Yes--there are really complicated repairs I would leave to a professional, but this book helps with the simple things that you just need basic instruction on.

Case in point--my toilet was leaking from the base. I have never installed a toilet or taken one apart. I had no clue why it was leaking. I turned to the leaky toilet page and saw that there is something called the "closet" where the toilet connects to the floor and there is a wax seal that may have leaked. A plumber could cost $50-$100 just to come out and look at the toilet. Maybe more for his labor.

I went to Home Depot and bought a new wax seal for $3.50, and a mini-shop vac for $40 (new tool--yay!). Turned off the water valve, flushed the toilet, used the shop-vac to suck out the residual water, disconnected the water line, removed the 2 bolts connecting the tank to the bowl and removed the tank, removed the 2 bolts connecting the bowl to the floor and removed the bowl. Scrape off the old wax, put on the new wax, bolt bowl to floor, bolt tank to bowl, reconnect water. Yes--I may have figured this out on my own, but one is always hesitant to go in to a job not knowing what to expect. This book holds your hand a bit and has great photos. Now, if I had removed the toilet and found the closet flange overly corroded, I may have called a plumber. But I fixed the whole thing for $43.50, an hour of time, and I got a new shop-vac!

If you don't know a screwdriver from a hammer, then no book in the world, including this one, will help you. But if you have basic tool knowledge and a bit of courage, this book is the perfect and only companion you need. And when all else fails, you can always call a professional to fix it up. Armed with lingo from this book, you will be able to describe the problem better and perhaps avoid being ripped off as well.

Excellent book for folks buying their first house, June 30, 2003
I bought this book right after I bought my first house (which was 12 years old at the time I moved in). I have owned the house for 2 years now and have owned a copy of this book for the same time.
1. I had no idea how the systems (ac, plumbing, various kithcen appliences, etc.) of the house worked when I moved in. This book gives a clear overview of the various systems and how they work. I could easily figure out the items that needed a maintenance schedule. I was also able to talk to various service providers (plumbers, electrical contractors, etc.) meanigfully as I was armed with the appropriate information.
2. I was struggling finding the right tools that I needed to have for various "do it yourself" repairs. This book clearly lists the tools that need to be used for every repair with pictures. You will never be lost in "Home Depot" again.
3. I have had a few unplanned repairs that needed to be made. I was easily able to look up the index to go to the relevant section and carry out the repair (after a couple of visits to Home Depot to get appropriate tools).
This book was worth every penny. Anyone moving into a new house should have a copy of this book with him or her.

Must-have for do-it-yourselfers, September 27, 2001
This is a great home repair book. Note that I said home REPAIR, not home IMPROVEMENT. B&D apparently also has another book on home improvement, which I have not read.

Anyway, this is a great book. We have proceeded to replace some faucets, upgrade some 2-pronged outlets to 3-pronged outlets, paint some rooms, fix some plumbing, troubleshoot a drain problem, and 4 or 5 other problems using this book. The pictures, as noted by other reviewers, are invaluable and very well done. Product placement is, of course, present but not obtrusive.

In short, as many repair projects turn into improvement projects, this is probably not the only book you'll need if you're a homeowner, but you'll definately find yourself referring to it time and again.

Home Repair/Not Home Improvement, February 27, 2002
This is an excellent book if you want to repair just about anything in your home. However, do not confuse HOME REPAIR WITH HOME IMPROVEMENT. This is a book on how to repair already existing fixtures and other items in your home. It is not about adding additional rooms, "shelves", patios, etc. No book will cover everything, but for your money, Black & Decker has provided plenty of pictures on every page along with detailed instructions. You have a simple choice, call a repairman every time there is a problem, or learn how to fix it yourself. Which investment do you think is more productive in the long run?

A Useful Resource for Homeowners, August 5, 2006
Some people are mechanically inclined, and there are those like myself who can't fix anything. For those of us who need a little help in the home repair department, this book will help you through almost any home repair project.

The book is loaded with photographs and easy to follow instructions for projects such as fixing a clogged drain to installing a shower. I recently used the book for advice on how to patch a hole in drywall. The specific section I needed was full of step-by-step instructions and photographs. After consulting this book, my own drywall patch project turned out wonderfully.

I highly recommend this fine book. The illustrations and directions are clear, concise, and easy to follow. For those of us not blessed with much mechanical ability, this book is a must-own. ... Read more

Editorial Review

It’s the answer to every new parent’s first question: Doesn’t this thing come with an owner’s manual? At long last, yes!

Through step-by-step instructions and helpful schematic diagrams, The Baby Owner’s Manual explores the common concerns of every first-time parent: What’s the best way to swaddle a baby? How can I make my newborn sleep through the night? When should I bring the baby to a doctor for servicing? Whatever your question, you’ll find the answer here—courtesy of celebrated pediatrician Dr. Louis Borgenicht and his son, Joe Borgenicht. Together, they provide plenty of useful advice for anyone who wants to learn the basics of childcare. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent Read for the Expecting Father, April 26, 2003
I stumbled upon this book in the bookstore a couple of weeks ago on accident, and was intrigued by the cover of a baby drawn in the style of functional diagram. What fascinated me further were the off the wall diagrams combined with the technical manual-esque style found inside, which made me think "Worst Case Scenario Handbook" for the parenting world.

But moving beyond the cover I discovered many such useful facts which have undoubtedly helped me prepare for fatherhood. As a slightly jittery, somewhat confused, but overall excited expecting father, this book has become a Godsend.

I read "What to Expect In The First Year", and for the typical male this doesn't work. The dialogue is so blatantly pitted toward women that my brain can't register it. The context juggles concepts of shopping, breastfeeding, and cutsie warm blankets in a convoluted, non-linear fashion which spawned a tangent-of-a-tangent style change of topics reminiscent of listening to my wife talk on the phone to her sister.

This book combines humor with an effective style for logically-wired males like myself, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to cut to the chase and really prepare for what to expect in fatherhood, and avoid the "what to wear to the baby shower" and other non-essential rhetoric.

Educational and humorous and entertaining reading, May 19, 2003
The book is written as if your baby is a product (therefore the need for this 'manual'). I skimmed through it in the bookstore and found it to be hilariously entertaining. I laughed at the verbage used and the 50s or 60s style pictures and diagrams. I bought it immediately and have enjoyed it very much. Example on writing: they ask you to "inspect" your model for all parts. Example of drawings: A circle with an adult holding a baby by the top of the head while the baby dangles with a line through the circle (as if to say 'Do not hold a baby by the top of the head). Obvious, but funny. I found it to by quite humorous.

I've laughed out loud reading it. But I must say that this book has very good information on how to raise your 'model' (baby). If you are a new parent or know someone who is a new or soon-to-be parent who has a sense of humor, they will appreciate this book. Louis Borgenicht, M.D., and his son Joe Borgenicht, D.A.D. (more humor) have written a master piece in my opinion. I would enjoy reading this book if my kid was 25 or didn't have any. It's just plain entertaining (but, again, very well organized useful information is found within).

Not just a satire!, January 30, 2004
The book reads a bit satirically -- think of your standard baby care book but written like a VCR manual. But it's actually useful information; we had our first child born recently, and it's been really useful to us. I've ended up buying copies for friends, too. Once you figure out a few of the slightly less obvious "terms" (like "service provider" for "doctor"), it's easy to read and avoids a lot of the editorializing and "my baby was this way" found in similar books. Worth the time.

Good Information, Gets a Little Tiresome, March 8, 2005
My wife gave me the Baby Owner's Manual for our baby shower. I like the male-oriented tips in it, some of them are fairly useful. I don't care for the way it stereotypes men as people who won't read a book unless it is in the format of an instruction manual. In my case, I find manuals to be a bit dry, boring and repetitive. My sister gave me another new-dad gift book, "Keeping the Baby Alive till Your Wife Gets Home". It's pretty wacky, but funnier than "Owner's Manual", and a lot more human. As far as serious baby guides go, I read sections of my wife's books--that seems to balance things out for me.

For Techies and MBA's? Modern Humor/Utility Reading, June 1, 2006
I have been reading so many serious books on becoming a parent, pregnancy, baby's first year, etc. lately that I needed something fun to balance it all out. I found this book at a boutique a few years back and gave it to my sister when she was pregnant as a joke. I had bookmarked the section on "programming sleep mode".

So here we are three years later and it is my turn. I bought this copy for myself. If you are wondering the difference between this "bargain" copy versus the other regular copy for sale, my copy came with a dirt smudge on the front and an obnoxious "BARGAIN" sticker on the back. Whatever, I saved some $$. My five stars are not for the condition, rather the contents.

This book is humorous, but the information is also useful. Being a techie, I find the technical writing format to be oddly comforting. I would recommend this for any new parent that needs some fun reading. Buy the regular more expensive one if you are giving it as a gift, but this one will work if you want a copy for yourself. Hours of entertainment and education along with an accurate and helpful schematic of baby await!

Very Helpful!, July 31, 2006
As silly as you may expect this book to be, as a first time mom, I found it pretty darn helpful and practical. I really like the part where it tells you how to wrap the baby like a burrito, kind of like how they do it in the hospital. The nurses do it so quickly you can't really follow what they're doing, but the book actually gives you step-by-step instructions on how to do it. There's tons of great advice and tips on how to care for your newborn in the book, and you'll be laughing hysterically the whole time. Great for moms AND dads AND grandparents.
** Disclaimer: If you have NO SENSE OF HUMOR, this book is not for you.

Funny and a breath of fresh air, March 23, 2004
Although What to Expect and Dr. Sears are nice books, what was missing for me was a book with "just the facts" no discussion of parenting styles or anything along those lines, just "if baby is crying it may be b/c of x, y or z." And this book provides that in a simple, clear and amusing way. It's what we used when we prepared to give a bath for the first time to our newborn. It's listing of games and exercises for development has been useful. And it has provided much needed laughs at times. I love the discussion of stuffed animals and how the model will not believe that stuffed are not alive until 10 or 12 years of age. I'm not giving it 5 stars b/c I wish it dealt with stuff in the same detailed way beyond 6 months.

More details than the usual book on babies, February 28, 2006
As a technical illustrator I was drawn to this book for it's style and bought it for that, BUT after reading it I was wishing I had it when my daughter was an infant or while pregnant. The instructions are clear and they covered way more than other how to books on babies. Stuff you really need to know or was wondering about. I ordered the toddler version. . .can't wait to receive it!

Great gift idea for new parents. Small and informative.

hysterically funny, June 16, 2006
This is a good, amusing break from the super-serious tone of most of the how-to books available for new parents. Buy it AND the What to Expect books and you're all set for anything your baby throws your way.

Fun baby manual for geeky-inclined parents, March 20, 2006
If you have a sense of humor and are just a little technology-oriented, this is a fun way to learn how to care for a newborn child. Definitely buy and read it beforehand! It's concise and well-written. I feel that the information is balanced and easily accessable. The illustrations keep the tone light and interesting. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Skate ramps, zip lines, go-carts, and more! In this super-fun book, Todd Davis extreme sports athlete and host of HGTV's Over Your Head presents 25 awesome projects for dads to build with their kids. Busy dads can choose projects that range from simple to challenging and take anywhere from five minutes to a full weekend. Readers are given all the directions they need to grab materials that can be found around the house or at the local hardware store and get to work banging up a sweet BMX ramp or half-pipe, building a tree house or tire swing, or throwing together a slip-and-slide or tie-dye station for an afternoon of fun. With plenty of color photographs, easy-to-follow instructions, and detailed illustrations, Handy Dad is chock-full of creative and inexpensive ways to keep kids (and dads) entertained for hours. ... Read more

Reviews

The perfect antidote to a world oversaturated with television and video games, July 8, 2010
Handy Dad: 25 Awesome Projects for Dads and Kids is a user-friendly compendium of construction projects that dads (or moms, uncles/aunts, grandparents, or anyone else!) can create to promote quality playtime activities with children. From a backyard rope swing, to a bird feeder, a tree house, a half-pipe, or even a tie-dye shirt, the ideas range from toys that promote physical activity to delightful personal keepsakes. (Not all of the projects involve woodworking, although many do.) Older children can even participate in the joy of building something with one's own hands, under close supervision of course. Each project listing spells out the needed tools and materials and where to find them, along with step-by-step instructions. Full color photographs illustrate this wonderful guide to tapping into one's creativity to spend quality time with children. The perfect antidote to a world oversaturated with television and video games, Handy Dad is highly recommended.

Good for older kids- maybe 5 and up, August 7, 2010
This is a detailed book! I guess I was expecting a picture book with IDEAS about things to do with kids. It's instructions, step-by-step, page by page for completing the projects. It's a good resource to keep around for the coming years. Our kids are 2 and 10 months, and most of the ideas are aimed at older kids, so I think it will get used more later.

Great Dad Gift!, July 31, 2010
Like others, I gave this to my husband for Father's Day. There are many projects ranging from simple to nearly expert. We are in the 'novice' category right now. My husband is just mastering the art of power tools and simple carpentry. (He is a computer geek!)

This book gives simple, direct instructions for lots of fun things to do with your kids. I recommend it for any loose ended weekends!

Fun for all ages, July 19, 2010
I bought this book for my husband and 6-year old son. They found 4 or 5 projects they could reasonably do together without too much cost or time. It will also come in handy for some of the school science projects this year!

Great gift for fathers day, July 18, 2010
Gave this to my son for fathers day. He was intrigued and was definetly going to try out some of the ideas with his 2 boys.

Good Book - Bad Title, November 28, 2010
I wish that I had this book when my kids were young. There are a lot of projects that I would have loved to worked on. My four girls and I would have had lot of fun making the projects. My eldest would have loved to have made her own skateboard, and she did help a friend make a skateboard ramp in his back yard - some 15 years ago.

My only complaint is the title. The title of the book is rather sexist. My husband would not have touched this book. (I'm the one who fixes the recliner.) ... Read more

Editorial Review

Organized Simplicity's aim is to convince its readers that simple living is the absolute best way to live.� Be it with house cleaning, family schedule management, personal finances, and managing the "stuff" you allow within your four walls, the only way to live well is to do so intentionally and simply.� The first half of the book delves into the why behind realistic simple living, giving the reader a nail to then hang the how of living simply discussed in the second half.� And by redefining the too often-used phrase "simple living," a busy home manager living in the real world can then make practical changes that work for the whole family.� There are chapters for cleaning and organizing the home room-by-room, and future project ideas will inspire readers to turn their house in a haven they love. ... Read more

Reviews

Perfect!, November 2, 2010
I have been following Tsh's blog for a while now... and was very excited to FINALLY get her book in hand! I received it yesterday and have read it cover to cover already. I'm excited to implement so many of her great ideas of how to simplify the craziness of life. This would make a great gift for ANYONE you know that struggles with slowing down and enjoying the simpler things of life.

Fantastic!, November 10, 2010
I've been reading Tsh's blog Simple Mom for awhile now. I love to go back & reread some of her posts. When I found out she was writing a book, I'll admit, I was giddy with excitement! Tsh has a way to put things in "normal people perspective", which I adore. Her book Organized Simplicity (great title!) is a true gem! Tsh shows us how to live a simple life, cherishing the things & people that mean the most to us. Way to go Tsh!

P.S. Her other blogs are phenomenal too!

A very well organized, simple and practical tool!!!, November 5, 2010
I'm naturally drawn to anything that claims to "simplify" my life. I work from home full-time and so does my husband. We have 3 children under 7 years of age and we are naturally busy. Through Simple Mom's blog and now her book, I've turned from a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl to the woman who intentionally plans out our lives. I used to bring about $200 a month of decorations into our home all for the excuse of "beautifying" and "nesting" when really the best beautifying and nesting I've learned is that of simplifying. Truly. Tsh has helped me to transform the way I see "pretty" and I've loved every moment of my new life. Thank you, Simple Mom!

An absolute bessing!, November 19, 2010
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. I devoured it in 2 days and am now re-reading much of it slowly, trying to completely digest all the great tips. The practical checklists that are included are very user friendly and easily personalized. And the step by step guide to decluttering is detailed without being overwhelming. 5 years ago everything my family owned fit in a Toyota Camry (all else was a victim of hurricane Katrina) and now I'm realizing just how much STUFF we've accumulated since then. It only took 5 years to completely fill a 1400 sq ft house plus an attic! I'm using this book as a jumping off point for fresh start, not keeping anything that isn't either beautiful or useful, just as the author advises. I'm so thankful for the inspiration, especially as the Christmas (aka most clutter-filled) season begins!

More than a great organizing book!, November 15, 2010
I have been anxiously awaiting my copy of Organized Simplicity because I have enjoyed the blog by the same author, simplemom.net.
Even with high expectations I LOVE the book! It is so much more than a beautiful and easy to follow organizing how-to-guide.
It is a book that helps you in your journey to live every aspect of your live more intentionally. My favorite chapter tells you how to create and write a family mission statement.
After reading Organized Simplicity I feel more clear headed and motivated to start truly living my live and not letting it just happen along without a plan to reach the goals that are important to me and my family.
I highly recommend Organized Simplicity to anyone looking for a map to clear the fog in their homes and their minds and start enjoying what is most important to you!

Fair Warning, November 9, 2010
I received the book today and while I haven't had time to read it cover-to-cover, a simple browse alerted me to the fact that the second half of the book is essentially the author's 2008 e-book "Spring Cleaning for Normal People" which was sold on her website. I wish I would have known this before purchasing the book. I feel a little cheated because I paid for her spring cleaning e-book and now I paid for this book which is 1/2 the same material. Bummer.

A Must-Read!, December 4, 2010
I have loved reading this book. Tsh's blog(s) are by far my favorite, and her book has exceeded my expectations as well. It's taken me a while to really walk through the book (I suggest following it alongside your first read!), and I am now reaping the benefits. Tsh writes about real-life applications of simplifying. This isn't a book about organizing more stuff, or buying more to house your junk. I so appreciate how she doesn't skim the surface - she methodically begins with writing a mission statement (loved that chapter!) and allows the reader to apply it in all areas of life - from financial to time management, even cleaning solutions. She challenges the readers' mindset of the typical, American life - such as the number of square feet we "need" to buy in a home. This is a great book to gift to a wide-range of people. It's obviously very applicable for a mom, but also would be the perfect book to read in college, or for some one preparing to become a wife.

I really appreciated the second half of the book, which walks you through cleaning out and simplifying your home. She is very detailed in this section. It's wonderful. (I had not bought her e-book, as I'm not really a fan of e-books in general.) Though I believed we already live pretty simply, this book has really challenged me to go a step further. I am grateful for some of the newfound freedoms a simpler life has offered our family, and also thankful Tsh has shared her insights to help us live a more meaningful life.

Role up your sleeves: it get's more simple from here on out, December 3, 2010
Doesn't that title alone make you want to read this book? If not, the cover art and lay-flat binding will up your pucker power. I am glad to say that book's contents do not disappoint. This book will be an encouraging gift for a friend (or yourself!) this year.

Tsh Oxenreider has given us powerful arguments to simplify life by letting go of "stuff", using time wisely, and being a good steward of our finances.

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living is divided into two parts. The first section explores what simple living is and is not. Unlike many simplicity gurus, Tsh does not promote her preferences as absolutes, but recognizes that family makeup and background make each unit unique. As a result, she challenges us to develop a family purpose statement. Life choices, Tsh asserts, will easily flow from your defined purpose.

Then in Part 2, we roll up our sleeves together and spend 10 days de-cluttering our home. Each chapter gives specifics for cleaning and organizing different rooms. The appendix includes homemade cleaning recipes, home management worksheets, and a Pros and Cons discussion of common "green" questions.

Tsh is the creator of the popular blog SimpleMom.net and a world traveler with her husband and three young children.

Philosophy of Life that will Work for Anyone, November 17, 2010
My husband purchased the electronic version of this book because I couldn't wait for it to come in the mail. This book is wonderful because Tsh suggests that everything you do should be done intentionally, with your own life's purpose in mind. This book has great step by step tips covering different areas of your home and life, but most importantly Tsh simply shares with us a philosphy that can be applied by anyone, according to their goals and life's purpose. I am really enjoying this book as a busy home schooling mother of 6 children ages 8 and under. Tsh is realistic, non preachy, and keeps things simple and approachable. I am very grateful for this book and have already enjoyed making changes in my life according to the way I personally would like to live. Thank you Tsh!

Simple living at best!, November 13, 2010
LOVE this book! I've been a fan of her blog, simple mom, for a while. I was so excited to get this book in my hands! It's so different from other books I've read about simple living...my simple living is not living off the land, banning shopping and living without things you like....and neither is hers. She explains instead that simple living is more about "intentional living"...being selective about money, possessions, and TIME. This busy mom of 3 can use these ideas! The first half gives suggestions and ideas for intentional living, and the second half of the book gives you a useful plan for de-cluttering and organizing what you do cherish to reflect your lifestyle. This book can be digested in short sittings, though I have a hard time putting it down. Looking forward to implementing her ideas! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Her other books are great....this one so-so, October 15, 2010
Like other reviewers, I love Bunny Williams. She is one of the best interior designers out there...a respite from retro-chic, domino style. However, this book was a big disappointment. The photography is jarring and haphazard. I know it was meant to represent a scrapbook, but the small squares were a big distraction. She does provide some good hints...but these are available in her other books. I do not think this book is worth the investment and am wondering who was her advisor on layout. Still a fan, though! (Just not of the book...)

How to Have a Well-lived and Well-loved Stylish Home, October 15, 2010
How many of us would love to follow around a favorite aunt in her home who happens to be one of the U.S.'s premier interior designers--like Bunny--while she drops her design pearls of wisdom for us to catch and record? That's what the experience of reading this book feels like. Since Bunny can't adopt all of us, she compiled the precious design insights that over 30 years of designing and living in beautiful rooms has taught her.

In SCRAPBOOK FOR LIVING, Bunny's emphasis is on living: how to create rooms that are beautiful AND livable. If you've seen rooms decorated by Bunny Williams--especially her own homes--you know they combine style with livability. They're homey. They're rooms where dogs are allowed on the furniture--but they still look great in magazines. Bunny shares the inside details of how she accomplishes this.

Bunny stresses function in this book--how to make rooms work in an attractive way. There's tips for every room--from mudrooms, to living rooms and libraries, to project rooms, to bedrooms and baths. Covering A to Z design topics such as selecting chairs to bringing a home to life with flowers, scents, art and fireplaces, Bunny teaches the essentials of comfort. It's the gems she shares along the way--any place you want a window and don't have one, put a mirror--that make this book invaluable. Another favorite tip is take a camera with you and photograph what you love for your own design scrapbooks. It's intriguing to read what inspires Bunny, including her nine favorite design books and design resources. Bunny says when she sees a home full of books, she knows the owners are likely to be interesting. This book's pictures are MORE about illustrating the ideas in it--less about seeing all the beautiful rooms she has decorated. Her other books Bunny Williams' Point of View: Three Decades of Decorating Elegant and Comfortable Houses and An Affair with a House do that.

What I loved about this book is it provides a personal look at how a top designer, savvy entrepreneur, wife, mother, dog-lover who loves to travel, entertain, read, and learn lives in her homes. What are her priorities in combining beauty and function?

In writing classes, you learn the ABCD elements of fiction books: Action, Background, Character and Dialogue. There's a fifth element in books, I've realized, and that's the personality/character of the author which can't help but leak through. Likable, nice authors write likable books which touch your heart. You hear people who have met Bunny say how darn likable she is; reading her books is heart-warming. You can almost hear her: "honey, after polishing the silver, keep it in an airtight bag...my favorite fragrances for rooms are....you can use the seating fabric in a room to create a matching dog-bed the dogs will want to be on...." Priceless and personal tidbits for well-lived and well-loved lives & homes fill this scrapbook for living.

Pamela, October 16, 2010
Bunny Williams creates beautiful spaces and has previously published a wonderful book (Point of View) which I highly recommend. I was intrigued when I saw she had published another book "Scrapbook for Living." After spending time reading it I found a lot of good information and helpful guidance that could have been put in a much smaller book. What I found so bothersome were the pages dedicated to what I call a "maze-montage" of the same photograph which left me with a headache. The art direction of photography has fallen short from her earlier publishing endeavor.

Infinite Information, October 19, 2010
Bravo Bunny--I have read "Scrapbook For Living" and my head is spinning with obtainable information.This book must be put next to your bed and not just flipped through-it must be read. It is not just a coffeetable book but a textbook.It goes quickly but has infinite information that all of us are hungry for.
Bunny shares her knowledge like no one else. Whether it is her lecture at a function or her beautiful books-starting with one of my favorites,"On Garden Style", she gives concrete information that we can all use-not just information that we can only dream about.Her knowledge is based on tried and true facts. This book is proof of that."Scrapbook For Living" is not written by someone being "coy" that gives you part of the information you need and you have to figure out the rest.It is written by someone trying to help every reader achieve their dream home no matter what the size or location.
I love the photography in this book. It is interesting and unique as it should be. It catches the attention and holds it through the last page.
I can hardly wait to rearrange my linen closet using her suggestions-Brilliant

A lovely special book, December 15, 2010
Bunny Williams' SCRAPBOOK FOR LIVING is a wonderful beautiful reference book on how to make one's life, one's home the best possible comfortable splendid world, both aesthetically and practically. It should be on everyone's bookshelf or coffee table. In Bunny Williams' very sure handed and thorough way, she enlightens how to optimize that which we cherish. Her splendid text is complemented by some truly amazing photography. The photographer, Amy Archer, not only photographs rooms but also details upon details within a room and creates what she calls 'Place Portraits'. They are grid shaped four across four and when one looks at them, the full effect of the total that one sees is greater than any of the lovely details within. It is an extraordinary way to visually communicate, a dining room, or chairs, or bookshelves, each and every subject that Bunny talks about. They are breathtakingly beautiful and by themselves, would look great mounted on a wall as a work of art. If there are horse whispers in this world that can divine the secret of horses, these two ladies are house whispers who can divine the secrets of own homes and way of life. As one leafs through the pages, it becomes readily apparent that the collaboration between these two gifted ladies is akin to composing a classic appealing resonating song or a musical score. Ms. Williams is the pitch perfect lyricist and Ms. Archer contributes the wondrous music with her great photography which is, indeed, art. It is a book one will treasure and return to over and over and each time be greatly rewarded.

bunny williams' scrapbook for living, November 23, 2010
Bunny Williams is the best!*! I have read this fine book line by line and refer to it often for guidance while decorating my home. It is filled with sticky notes so I can locate Ms. Williams most thoughtful ideas quickly.

Ms. Williams has wonderful ideas on every decorating subject. I am proud to own this book!*!

Scrapbook for Living - Details that Make a Difference, November 21, 2010
Please make sure that you do not overlook one of the most unique and helpful design books recently published. If you were commissioned, as photographer Amy Archer
most likely was, to visit homes designed by Bunny Williams, and asked to focus on all the small moments in the homes that give them character and soul, she has triumphed. Archer's poetic style of imagery compliments Williams' eye for design and detail, and the combination of the two points of view are magic. Amy Archer shows you small stunning bits of a space and Bunny Williams tells you how and why those elements add up to what makes a comfortable, personal, well organized house. For anyone starting their first home, or for those simply passionate about rethinking or refining an existing one - this book is a treasure.

Disappointed in Scrapebook!, October 15, 2010
Ii adore Bunny Williams! but, bought this book and was so disappointed, I sent it back. Thought most of the photography, especially the filler repeated over and over again snapshots, not to Bunny's top notch design ethic.

Disappointing, December 28, 2010
As much as I respect Bunny Williams as a designer/decorator, this book was a joke. The cover looks promising, but photos of her interiors might as well have been left out, as the "collage" motif presented throughout the book would have been much more effective had she used 1 or 2 good photos instead of 20 or so pics of this corner or that chair leg. The photos didn't even have much to do with the content of the book. Nothing that would inspire. The advice for how to live in one's home, such as making sure you have a box of tissue next to a guest bed or using a large vase for an umbrella stand by the door, might be applicable for an 18 year old living on his/her own for the first time, but for those already familiar with basic house necessities (such as using a basket to store wood by the fireplace, another pearl of wisdom I paid $40 for) this was worthless. You're better off getting a copy of The Domino Book of Decorating.

Bunny is no Martha Stewart, November 25, 2010
I am a big fan of Bunny Williams but Bunny Williams' Scrapbook for Living is a huge disappointment. The pictures are numerous but much
too small to be enjoyed. The text is preachy and the housekeeping tips she offers should be left to Martha Stewart. The housekeeping is
Home Economics 1-A for junior high school students. Bunny should stick to her field of expertise, interior design. I'm sorry I spent my
hard earned money for this book. I feel cheated. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Based on a two-week course in woodworking fundamentals offered at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Camden, Maine, this book takes a traditional approach to teaching, with the idea that learning basic skills is essential to craftsmanship. In the process, the book covers all the bases, from working with hand tools to cutting dovetails. Over 250 color photos and drawings and two complete projects — a bench and a small cabinet — are included. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Whether your home is small or large, an apartment in the city or a country cottage, it is a space that should be at once beautiful and livable. The key to that is managing the upkeep without feeling flustered. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive resource that not only tells how to care for your home and everything in it, but that also simplifies the process by explaining just when. With secrets from Martha Stewart for accomplishing the most challenging homekeeping tasks with ease, this detailed and comprehensive book is the only one you will need to help you keep your home looking its best, floor to ceiling, room by room.

In Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook, Martha shares her unparalleled expertise in home maintenance and care. Readable and practical–and graced with charts, sidebars, illustrated techniques, and personal
anecdotes from Martha’s decades of experience caring for her homes–this is far more than just a compendium of ways to keep your house clean. It covers everything from properly executing a living room floor plan to setting a formal table; from choosing HEPA filters to sealing soapstone countertops; from organizing your home office to polishing your silver and caring for family heirlooms.

Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is organized for clarity and maximum practicality:

Room by Room covers the upkeep of the appliances, tools, furnishings, and surfaces found in each room, from the entryway to the kitchen, from the attic to the laundry room.

Throughout the House instructs the reader on the proper ways to routinely clean and periodically maintain everything in the home, including dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, polishing, scrubbing, waxing and much more.

Comfort and Safety focuses on techniques to ensure your home is running properly and safely, such as recognizing when to clean vents, fixing a leaky faucet, and eradicating pests.

A-to-Z Materials Guide provides an invaluable resource that explains the unusual materials that many favorite objects are made of–from abalone to zinc–
and how to care for them so they last.

Encyclopedic yet friendly, Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is a seminal work–a must-have for everyone who wants a well-cared-for home that will endure for generations. ... Read more

Reviews

Big book to a clean house., September 19, 2009
This is a seriously big book. It's well over 700pgs and is filled with every cleaning scenerio imaginable. The only negative I could think of was that some of the more basic infomation about cleaning might just get lost. But Martha Stewart is nothing if not thorough. So, to me, this is a must have in order to get that clean house. I highly recommend this one. I also recommend The Big Clean: How to Clean and Organize Your Home and Free Your Mind (Revised and Updated).

excellent, November 18, 2006
I've been waiting for years for Martha Stewart to write this book and I'm very pleased. It is expansive, tells you plainly what to do and what never to do and it has pictures (granted they are in black and white) rather than tiny artsy line drawings like the Home Comforts book. After reading Homekeeping I have finally discovered the easy way to clean my stove top and their is a noticeable difference in my kitchen. It was clean before but now I think it could pass a restaurant health inspection. I own other house keeping books but this one outclasses them all and I think it's really all a person needs. Thanks Martha.

Time-Saver How-To For Just About Everything..., November 1, 2006
.

There are few items like this one.

It is more or less a home companion on how to clean, maintain, do and repair most every item in your home. There is lots of wisdom like we used to pass down from generation to generation, before people stopped listening and families fragmented.

Newly marrieds, new home owners, kids leaving the nest for the first time to college or to live alone, and those wanting to get organized and stay organzied with their home chores and maintenace, will find this book valuable.

It is more than a reference work, although it certainly is that. I actually have enjoyed browsing through it for fun, not just looking for specific information.

I wish it was in full color, otherwise it is great! It is in Black and white, November 8, 2006
I don't know if budgetary considerations led to a decision to produce a book that is in black and white (without full color photos) but that is my only quibble with the book. I'd have preferred a full color version.
However, for sheer quality and detail about all aspects of housekeeping, this one can't be beat. It is chock full of information about all the vital areas of maintaining a home, including seasonal chores - large and small. You'll learn about which products you can safely use on wood floors, how to clean a room properly, top to bottom..etc.
This is going to be a standard on my reference shelf.

The tricks of Martha's trade :-), November 2, 2006
Be warned! This is a super heavy book (744 pages). It's like an encyclopedia for the home. It's full of helpful advice and it is really interesting.
The topics are broad. There is almost nothing uncovered. She talks about everything from ironing (how to completely, completely dewrinkle - underside of collar, inside of cuffs, inside of sleevefronts, outside of sleeves, outside of cuffs, inside of yolk etc etc), to stain removal (fix it right away - blot and drown the stain in cool water, blot again, more water, blot, etc), removing wax from tablecloths, and on and on. I especially loved reading on how to clear out the nasty smell in the microwave. I never knew what to do to get rid of that (till now).
It's such a helpful book for everyone - I can't imagine that there'd be someone out there who couldn't gain some insight from Martha's tips. It's easy to follow and find what you are after because she has put everything into specific catagories. So go out and get a copy because it's the perfect gift idea for the holiday's and a must for yourself in your home. I love it a lot.

Homekeeping Handbook Wasn't Handy Enough., January 4, 2007
I was excited to recieve this book as a gift, as I enjoy taking care of my home and the things in it. However, I feel like this book went far beyond the scope of practical housekeeping. It has gotten good reviews on Amazon, but it is about 500 pages too long for my personal taste. I would never have bought it for myself, nor will I ever purchase it as a gift for anyone else.

The book is heavy and has a really cheap dustjacket that doesn't stay on, making the mere act of opening the book unpleasant. I, too, would have enjoyed color photographs. I don't think it was wrong of readers to expect something just a little more aesthetically pleasing-- it is from Martha Stewart, after all.

This book would have greatly benefitted from page tabs or subtle color-coding along the edge of the pages to mark the different areas of housekeeping the book adresses. At nearly 750 pages, it is really a hassle to have to juggle this five-pound book with its worthless dustjacket in the midst of my chores. Skimming through the index, finding the page, then poring over the information to find what I need to know takes far longer than opening this laptop and searching online for "mustard stain removal", etc. This book is so exhaustive that there have been a few times I've actually forgotten what I'm looking for before I find it.

The book is too broad and comprehensive in areas of little benefit to this reader. Perhaps much of it could have been put in another book altogether, such as a "Homebuilding Handbook" or "Home Renovation Handbook" For one example, Martha writes individual directions on how to clean no less than one dozen different surfaces of kitchen countertop, from laminated plastic to granite to zinc, along with the pros and cons of each type of surface, spanning at least six pages of the book.

On the other hand, when I wanted to know the basic maintenance and cleaning of my regular old coffeemaker,I was out of luck-there's nothing like that in this book. However, I now know the benefits and drawbacks of ten different materials one can choose for their kitchen sink. Ummm...thanks??

(PSST! Hey Martha: If a person invested the kind of money to put a marble countertop or copper sink in their kitchen, wouldn't they already know that it takes special care? Or maybe they are the same people you feel the need to tell "Don't let anybody smoke near your baby." (Page 303, Nursery Safety Guidelines.)

Now, I do not have kids, but I think everybody already knows this, Martha. Those people you see blowing smoke in their baby's face? They know, too, Martha, they just don't _care_).

In short, for me, this book was like a Roomba. It sounded like a good idea, but it was just all over the place. When it did focus on an area, it did so with such intensity that other more important areas were missed entirely, or barely touched on.

I wanted to like this book, but its just more hassle than it is worth. I'll keep relying some favorite housekeeping websites for quicker reference, and if I am absolutely not sure about something, I'll use this book as a backup (and flower press).

Homekeeping Handbook was just too excessive in all the wrong places for me.

Addictive!, December 7, 2006
Probably the best thing to come out of MSLO since Martha's unfortunate incarceration. (Let's forget the dreadful Martha's Rules book which was just terrible!). This book is an amazing and widereaching encyclopedia that covers every single aspect of homeownership from the different types of mattresses to how to clean your furnace!

This is what Martha does best. A fascinating and enjoyable read. You go, Martha! Welcome back!

A must-have for homeowners and apartment-dwellers alike, December 25, 2006
I just moved out of my parents' home this year and realized that I am next to clueless when it comes to home maintenance. So when I heard about this book I decided to have a look at it and was blown away. This tome covers everything imaginable for every room, and even has a few hints and tips that never would have passed my mind. Granted, I don't currently have every room listed but I might in the future, so it will be excellent for ears to come. This book is a great gift for anyone newly living on their own, anyone who just bought a house, and it would even make a wonderful wedding gift.

Hopeless Housekeeper Loves It!, November 26, 2006
I just bought this and sat down for an hour to read. I love it! My mother never taught me how to keep a house (partly because I wouldn't listen) and at the age of 26, I am absolutely frustrated because I don't know how to do this! This book is the equivalent of the Joy of Cooking for housekeepers. It gives instructions for everything: from the very basic (how to dust) to the very specific. I also love it because unlike other housekeeping manuals, it can be used for the upkeep of any living space, from the tiny apartment I live in now to the house I dream of buying (and keeping clean) someday. I will not need to buy another book on housekeeping ever again!

Amazing amount of information, December 9, 2006
Wow. I thought I knew a lot about housekeeping until I got this book!

It really is a big book! Very heavy, the only annoyance I have with it is that the book cover is acetate with the title printed only on that. I do try to keep the dust covers on my books when they arrive, but I'm not certain this one will stand the test of time.

Like my title says, this is an amazing amount of information contained in this book. It isn't one that I will sit down and read cover to cover but as I'm going through my homekeeping, I'll pull out my book and "see what Martha says" just to make sure I'm not making any costly mistakes.

The book is very detailed. Anyone who can't use at least some of the information from this book is a more amazing person than I've ever known. And for the price, you can't beat all the advice and step-by-step procedures that Martha Stewart provides. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Take a deep breath and jump in--doing art with toddlers and twos is fun, rewarding, and a wonderful learning experience. Children will joyfully squeeze a rainbow, make their own (safe) beads to string, and create their very own art baggie book. First Art starts children on a lifelong journey full of exploration and creativity. ... Read more

Reviews

Author's 10 favorite art projects from this book, August 11, 2002
The secret of this book is that these art experiences are safe, fun and easy for toddlers but if you have older kids they will love them too. If you are a parent like me, you want to set up art projects that will be fun for all your kids. You also want projects that capture their interest and curiosity for a long time. I currently have twin 7 year olds and a 3 year old who have tried almost every project in this book. If you want to dive right into my top 10 favorite projects, here they are with comments based on our personal family experience:

Playclay - This is way better than the commercial playdough products you buy in the store. It sounds like a lot of effort to make your own, but this cooked playclay is so luxurious, wonderful and lasts for weeks. It is much better for toddlers than the store bought stuff since it is super soft and easier for tiny hands to roll, mold, and squeeze.

Waterpaint - Too easy to be true! Tips on taking a bucket of water and brushes and "painting" outdoors on a summer day.

Feelie Goop - A recipe of cornstarch and water with bizzare properties that fascinates toddlers, kids and adults alike.

First Color Mixing - This is such a favorite that I bought four ice cube trays and lots of food coloring and I bring this out often when my kids have friends over. I fill the trays with water, squeeze some red, blue and yellow in three of the compartments, and let them use pipettes (like easy eye droppers) from ...to drip the colors together in each compartment. This is an older toddler variation from the book. Great ideas for the youngest toddlers are in the book.

Early Scissors - My kids loved cutting playclay worms with plastic scissors and cutting strips of paper as they mastered the use of scissors. There are lots of great tips on getting toddlers started safely with scissors.

Buckets of Bubbles - My kids love to play in this stuff. It is like an outdoor bubble bath.

Scribble Book - Toddlers are fascinated with books. Make tiny homemade books that are OK to scribble in. The book has lots of great variations and ideas for this simple art experience.

Foil Squeeze - Foil paper is fun to make into shapes. I recently gave all my kids one sheet of foil paper on a long drive to Yosemite and the 3 year old made bowls and the 7 year olds created Half Domes.

Tabletop Fingerpainting - Here's a great recipe for homemade fingerpaint to do right on you table! My toddlers were fascinated and used their fingers to make endless patterns.

Color Tube - This takes a lot of time to set up, but I saw a huge version at a preschool carnival and it was such a hit. I tied lots of tubes and funnels to a board with twists and turns in the tubes. My kids and their playmates loved pouring colored water to see what would happen and what end it would stream out of.

I hope you enjoy these and the other projects as much as we have and still do. One tip that would have helped me when it started out is where to get inexpensive great art materials. Ask your local daycare, preschool, or elementary school teachers for teacher supply stores near you or the teacher's catalogs they order supplies from. In my area, anyone can shop through these venues and you will find the greatest stuff. (Always buy washable markers and paints! We stained lots of toddler clothes before I decided it was cheaper to just buy the more expensive washable art materials.)

I think this book will help me find the true Zen of parenting, July 5, 2006
I love this book. I checked book after book of toddler crafts and toddler play out of the library, but most of them made me think, "hmm, anyone could have thought of that." This is not one of those books.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but this book is helping me be a better parent. There is nothing like the total absorption of an art project to help me be fully present with my daughter. Other times I might physically be with her, but my mind is at least partly elsewhere, thinking adult thoughts, worrying mostly, I suppose, but while doing these art projects, I truly am with her in the moment, and smiling and laughing more than I have in ages.

The author encourages the parent or teacher to present the art materials to the child and accept whatever way the child chooses to use them. That was a very helpful suggestion. It reminded me that there is no goal except exploration here.

The first project we did was finger- and sponge- painting. My daughter (19 months) made paintings, and I showed her that she could make prints of them by putting another piece of paper over them and pressing. I also provided her with some circular objects from around the house for printing on her art. Although it wasn't the goal, it's helping her learn her colors, and now she knows the shape "circle." The little paintings are also lovely, much freer and more asymmetric than I would do as an adult.

Yesterday, I was inspired for us to make "rubbery flubbery dough." It involves cooking salt and water on the stove and adding a cornstarch/water mixture, and then cooking some more. I didn't have enough salt, and I didn't have food coloring, either, but I had read the recipe for "feelie goop," made with jell-o, so I added a packet of sugar-free green jell-o for color and extra goopiness. Oh my gosh, the stuff was SO goopy, stretchy, sticky, green, funny, and fun. My 19-month-old daughter felt it, smeared it, stretched it, flung it, rubbed it on her dress, and wiped it on my back. (We did the whole project outside on a hot summer day so we could hose off after). My husband took a video of us, and I must say, I haven't seen a happier video of ME in a long time. Oh, my daughter liked it, too. We were so excited that we went to the discount store and bought 25 lbs of salt, a couple pounds of cornstarch, 25 lbs of flour, 4 big bottles of food coloring, and ran right home to make the "rubbery flubbery dough" properly, including coloring it and scenting it as the author suggests. I can't wait to pick my daughter up at preschool today to play with it.

fabulous and fun... but not for the faint of heart, October 10, 2004
This book is a great resource for grownup-type people who spend a lot of time with little people. In my case, they're my own kids (18-month-old twins), but daycare providers and other early childhood professionals could also put these ideas to good use. The author provides ideas for a wide range of art experiences that help very young children develop skills and learn about the world. They're realistic suggestions in that one- and two-year-olds can have success and enjoy themselves, and the author also gives tips on sufficient preparation, art clothes, and other ways that YOU can help the child(ren) succeed. I've been able to choose what activities I'm up for on a given day based on the notations about prep time, cleanup, active vs. quieter activity, etc. That said, you HAVE to expect a mess with kids this age; it's all relative. :)

It's a major challenge of my day to keep my kids entertained (i.e. not running amok) without singing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" a billion times. This book has been a helpful source of ideas and, on occasion, a reality check that helped me keep my expectations in some reasonable realm.

Great book, very useful, used fairly frequently.

Thanks! I needed that!, December 2, 2002
I have most of Kohl's books. This one is VERY specific to working with the youngest kids...hints for adults and hints for kids. I work with the youngest kids, so this helps me quite a bit. I like the last chapter with ideas of things you can make to use with kids, like a pizza box easel. I found these ideas to be fresh and unique. Though I have used Kohl's other books with the youngest kids, this one brings art into clear focus and I don't have to think at all!!!

Awesome book!, December 6, 2006
What an excellent idea for a book! I have only used 2 of the recipes in here, the feely goop and the stretchy dough. But, my 2 year old loved both of them. They were easy to make-with things I usually have around the house. Although, I have since begun buying things that are used in some of the other recipes in here. The stretchy dough is similar to playdough-I think it's better, myself. But, the author says kids won't eat it once they have one bite because it's SOOOO salty. My daughter, however, tried to eat it several times-and said yummy after her first bite. So, to each his/her own I guess. Nevertheless a great resource for parents of the toddlers and twos set.

Great theory, tougher practice, December 21, 2007
I purchased this book so I could have more fun with my daughter, about a year and a half at the time of this review, and teach her a thing or two about creativity along the way. When I first got the book and read it, I LOVED it. There were tons of homemade recipes for saving money, ideas seemed relatively simple, yet fun, directions thorough... However, when I started implementing the ideas with my toddler, I slowly changed my mind.
I see a number of problems with this book:
Homemade recipes sound wonderful. You save money, you use ingredients you already have in your pantry, and you feel like such a handy supermom, what's not to love, right? Well, wrong...
First, the recipes often call for things I definitely don't have in my pantry, I was not even sure what some things were. For instance, cream of tartar. I wrote down a list of things I needed for a project and asked 3 employees at the store for it and all of them pointed me to tartar sauce. So, I had to go home empty-handed and do research online to find out what it was and why I needed it and where I could buy it, what I can substitute it for, etc. Most of the sources online seemed to indicate that it is something that used to be big in baking, but hardly ever needed now that we have baking powder. It'd be nice if the author provided some substitutions. I ended up using baking powder and it seemed to work alright. I later accidentally found cream of tartar in the spices section of my grocery store - and I looked in baking to no avail.
Another things is that a lot of recipes (80%, I'd say) call for tempera paint... If I'm going to buy paint, why buy tempera paint and mix it with stuff to make finger paints, might just as well buy finger paints - will probably end up cheaper. Same goes for, for example, a home-made blackboard. You need to buy the tape that has that chalkboard surface or chalkboard spray paint. Well, both are rather pricey, so it is almost as cheap to buy a ready-made chalkboard easel (not to mention much less trouble). Also, some recipes call for things like "an old grater you no longer use" (because you're going to be grating a bar of soap, for example) or "a big appliance box". I don't know if it's just me, but I think my Mom still uses the same grater she had when I was a year and a half and I don't buy big-screen TVs on a monthly basis... So, I don't really have all these lying around the house, nor is it always easy/cheap to find/buy one just when you want to try a project - often it really is easier and maybe even cheaper to just buy whatever it is you were going to make (case in point - beads).
Also, many recipes call for huge amounts of flour, salt, cornstarch, and food coloring. While those aren't that expensive in and of themselves (and food coloring CAN be), they add up! 4 cups of flour here, 4 cups of flour there, with a lot of these recipes not having the same shelf life as the store-bought equivalents. So, once again, the savings are questionable, even if we don't factor in the time we have to spend preparing stuff versus buying it ready-made.
The quality of projects.
My daughter is a pretty determined and focused toddler when she wants to be, but a lot of those projects are too contemplative to really keep her attention for more than 10 seconds. For instance, exploring the sounds and textures of a piece of foil or the much-favored by many feeley goop. My daughter was done exploring the sounds and textures of foil in 5 seconds and she did not want to explore the feeley goop at all after the initial try, so how was I supposed to make her realize that it has some unique qualities? The same goes for quite a number of projects that are meant to just "explore", but I realize that it is highly individual and there might be children out there who love those projects, just be aware that it is not automatic. Perhaps some of these activities would work well in a group, where children can feed off of each other's ideas and where interaction is already exciting enough, but for one child they can be a tad on a boring side and are over too quickly to be called an "activity".
Another thing in the projects I often have issues with is their messiness. The author does do a good job of outlining how to prep the working space, but with some projects, the colors will get splashed all over the place - it's toddlers we're talking about! I can cover a relatively large portion of the floor and the whole table, but I can't cover the walls and the ceiling... Not to mention that toddlers are known to run away in the middle of a project. So, unless you have a whole room you don't mind getting dirty and where you can contain your child (porch, sunroom, child-proof play room?), some of those projects will be just too much of a risky business to attempt in a nicer room. We live in a fully-carpeted apartment, and there is no way I'll be able to clean it up nicely if my child decides to have too much fun with one of the messier projects.
Finally, I find some "cooking" directions a little too sketchy. I have never made this thing before, I don't know what it should look and feel like, I actually ruined a couple of projects because I did something too soon or too late, even though I thought I was following the instructions religiously - there went 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt :-). Just so you don't think I'm a complete idiot, I do bake regularly and cook quite a bit too, and while sometimes my pizza dough made from scratch does turn out a little drier than I like, it is always edible, never a complete failure.
Overall, I'd say it's a good book with good ideas. If I were a kindergarten teacher, or had 2 or more kids of different ages, I'd probably rate this book better. But as a parent of only 1 child, I'd probably ever use only 1/3 of all the ideas of the book, with 2/3 being eliminated for one or several of the reasons mentioned above, which I find rather disappointing, since I am not paying only for the ideas I'm using...
Our favorite project so far? The bread. It did not taste spectacular (although was edible), but my daughter loved messing with the flour, watching it turn to dough, playing with the dough, etc.

More of the same from Kohl., October 9, 2002
If you do not have any of MaryAnn Kohl's books, this will be a good resource for working with very young children. However if, like me, you already own several of Kohl's other books (Scribble Art, Global Art, Preschool Art, etc.) you might not need this one. I found that many of the ideas overlapped those in her other books. There was not a lot of new material here that I could not have adapted from Scribble Art (my favorite of her books, which can be adapted for all ages) or Preschool Art. The ideas in this book do allow for a lot of creative exploration, which cannot be said of a lot of other childrens' art books (many are more concerned with cute results than the child's experience). For that reason I would recommend this author's books very highly, just not necessarily this one!

Author Comments, by MaryAnn Faubion Kohl, June 11, 2002
We've needed a book for the really little guys for a long long time, a book that encourages exploration and experimentation, discovery, and the experience of jumping into art for the first time. I worked with two toddler experts, Renee Ramsey and Dana Bowman, and we put this together based on experience, trial and error, and kids' favorites. I especially like the hints for success with toddlers and twos that we've given you. Also included are little true stories about real kids doing these projects, and things that happened that were funny, unexpected, or affirming. I really like this book. You don't have to be good at art or an expert to use it with kids. You just need to have basic supplies around, like crayons and water and tape and paper, and you're on your way. Oh yes, and a little kid or two....

Great book for families with children!, June 17, 2002
I wish this book would have been written 10 years ago when I struggled to collect this extensive list of art recipes and ideas for my (then) toddler. Now, 4 children later, I have this wonderfully complete art book to reference whenever the fever strikes us! The structure of this book makes it easy and quick to find the specific areas of art that we are looking for. We have also used this book successfully to spark ideas when we are not sure what we want to do. We highly recommend First Art!

Easy for mom, great for kids!, March 4, 2005
I love this book. I have a 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old and I lead a playgroup. I have seen lots of great ideas for kids, but this book has a format that makes it so easy to put together. I rarely plan ahead and do art on the spur of the moment. I have read the book so many times (I've owned it a couple of weeks) and know the projects. There's a list of everything you need to prepare so I can do it quickly. Plus, I really like the general info. on process art, clean-up and how to make everything kid-friendly and creativity-friendly. I highly recommend it and a number of my friends have already bought their own copies! ... Read more